PROSPECTUS
FLEXIBLE PREMIUM
VARIABLE UNIVERSAL LIFE INSURANCE POLICIES
ISSUED BY
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY
IN CONNECTION WITH
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STREET ADDRESS: 206 SOUTH 13TH ST., LINCOLN, NE 68508-1993
MAILING ADDRESS: P. O. BOX 82532, LINCOLN, NE 68501-2532
TELEPHONE NUMBER: 1-800-525-9287
The Policy is designed to provide both life insurance protection and flexibility
in connection with premium payments and death benefits. The Policy is designed
for prospective insured persons age 0-80. Subject to certain restrictions, you
may vary the frequency and amount of the premium payments and increase or
decrease the level of life insurance benefits payable under the Policy.
When the Insured dies, we will pay a Death Benefit to a Beneficiary specified by
you. We will reduce the amount of the Death Benefit payment by any unpaid Policy
loans and any unpaid Policy charges. You may choose one of two Death Benefit
options: (1) a level amount, which generally equals the Face Amount of the
Policy; or (2) a variable amount, which generally equals the Face Amount plus
the Policy Value. While the Policy remains in force, the Death Benefit will not
be less than the maximum of the current Face Amount of the Policy or the Policy
Value multiplied by the applicable corridor percentage specified in the Policy.
The minimum Face Amount of the Policy is $100,000.
We allocate your Premium to the investment options under the Policy and our
Fixed Account in the proportions that you choose. The Policy currently offers
thirty-seven investment options, each of which is a Subaccount of the Lincoln
Benefit Life Variable Life Account (the "Separate Account"). Each Subaccount
invests exclusively in shares of one of the following Portfolios:
JANUS ASPEN SERIES: Flexible Income Portfolio, Balanced Portfolio, Growth
Portfolio, Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Worldwide Growth Portfolio
FEDERATED INSURANCE MANAGEMENT SERIES: Utility Fund II, Fund for U.S. Government
Securities II, High Income Bond Fund II
FIDELITY VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS FUND: Money Market Portfolio, Equity-Income
Portfolio, Growth Portfolio, Overseas Portfolio
FIDELITY VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS FUND II: Asset Manager Portfolio,
Contrafund Portfolio, Index 500 Portfolio
THE ALGER AMERICAN FUND: Income and Growth Portfolio, Small Capitalization
Portfolio, Growth Portfolio, MidCap Growth Portfolio, Leveraged AllCap Portfolio
SCUDDER VARIABLE LIFE INVESTMENT FUND: Bond Portfolio, Balanced Portfolio,
Growth and Income Portfolio, Global Discovery Portfolio, International Portfolio
STRONG VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS, INC.: Discovery Fund II, Growth Fund II
STRONG OPPORTUNITY FUND II, INC.
T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL SERIES, INC.: T. Rowe Price International Stock
Portfolio
T. ROWE PRICE EQUITY SERIES, INC.: T. Rowe Price New America Growth Portfolio,
T. Rowe Price Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio, T. Rowe Price Equity Income Portfolio
MFS VARIABLE INSURANCE TRUST: Growth with Income Series, Research Series,
Emerging Growth Series, Total Return Series, New Discovery Series
Some of the Portfolios described in this Prospectus may not be available in your
Policy. We may make other investment options available in the future.
The Policy does not have a guaranteed minimum Policy Value. Your Policy Value
will rise and fall, depending on the investment performance of the Portfolios
underlying the Subaccounts to which you allocate your Premiums. You bear the
entire investment risk on amounts allocated to the Subaccounts. The investment
policies and risks of each Portfolio are described in the accompanying
prospectus for the Portfolios. The Policy Value will also reflect Premiums,
amounts withdrawn, and any insurance or other charges.
(continued on next page)
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NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES
COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THESE SECURITIES OR PASSED UPON THE
ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A
CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS IS MAY 1, 1999.
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The Policy will remain in force as long as the Net Surrender Value is sufficient
to pay the monthly charges under the Policy. In addition, during the first ten
Policy Years, or until the Policy Anniversary after the Insured's 80th birthday,
if earlier, we guarantee that the Policy will remain in effect regardless of
changes in the Policy Value, as long as your total Premiums (less partial
withdrawals and Policy Debt) at least equal the applicable Safety Net Premiums,
as described on page 10.
We will not accept any Premium which would cause the Policy not to qualify as a
life insurance contract under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the "Tax
Code").
You may cancel the Policy by returning it to us within 10 days after you receive
it, or after whatever longer period may be permitted by state law. We will
refund the Policy Value as of the date we receive your Policy, plus any charges
previously deducted, unless your state requires a refund of Premium.
IT MAY NOT BE ADVANTAGEOUS FOR YOU TO REPLACE EXISTING INSURANCE COVERAGE OR BUY
ADDITIONAL INSURANCE IF YOU ALREADY OWN A VARIABLE LIFE INSURANCE POLICY.
THIS PROSPECTUS IS VALID ONLY IF ACCOMPANIED BY THE CURRENT PROSPECTUSES FOR THE
PORTFOLIOS LISTED ABOVE. IF ANY OF THE PROSPECTUSES ARE MISSING OR OUTDATED,
PLEASE CONTACT US AND WE WILL SEND YOU THE PROSPECTUS YOU NEED.
PLEASE READ THIS PROSPECTUS CAREFULLY AND RETAIN IT FOR YOUR FUTURE REFERENCE.
This Policy may not be available in all states.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
DEFINITIONS................................................. 4
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT YOUR POLICY..................... 5
PURCHASE OF POLICY AND ALLOCATION OF PREMIUMS............... 8
Application for a Policy.................................... 8
Premiums.................................................... 9
Premium Limits.............................................. 9
Modified Endowment Contracts................................ 9
Safety Net Premium.......................................... 10
Allocation of Premiums...................................... 10
Policy Value................................................ 10
Accumulation Unit Value..................................... 11
Transfer of Policy Value.................................... 11
Transfers Authorized by Telephone........................... 11
Dollar Cost Averaging....................................... 12
Portfolio Rebalancing....................................... 12
Specialized Uses of the Policy.............................. 12
THE INVESTMENT AND FIXED ACCOUNT OPTIONS.................... 13
Separate Account Investments................................ 13
Portfolios.................................................. 13
Voting Rights............................................... 16
Additions, Deletions, and Substitutions of Securities....... 17
The Fixed Account........................................... 17
POLICY BENEFITS AND RIGHTS.................................. 17
Death Benefit............................................... 17
Death Benefit Options....................................... 18
Change in Face Amount....................................... 18
Optional Insurance Benefits................................. 19
Policy Loans................................................ 19
Amount Payable on Surrender of the Policy................... 20
Partial Withdrawals......................................... 20
Settlement Options.......................................... 21
Maturity.................................................... 21
Lapse and Reinstatement..................................... 21
Cancellation and Exchange Rights............................ 22
Postponement of Payments.................................... 22
DEDUCTIONS AND CHARGES...................................... 22
Premium Tax Charge and Premium Expense Charge............... 22
Monthly Deduction........................................... 22
Policy Fee.................................................. 23
Mortality and Expense Risk Charge........................... 23
Cost of Insurance Charge.................................... 23
Deduction for Separate Account Income Taxes................. 23
Portfolio Expenses.......................................... 23
Surrender Charge............................................ 25
Transfer Fee................................................ 25
GENERAL POLICY PROVISIONS................................... 26
Statements to Policy Owners................................. 26
Limit on Right to Contest................................... 26
Suicide..................................................... 26
Misstatement as to Age and Sex.............................. 26
Beneficiary................................................. 26
Assignment.................................................. 27
Dividends................................................... 27
TAX MATTERS................................................. 27
Taxation of the Company and the Separate Account............ 27
Taxation of Contract Benefits............................... 27
Modified Endowment Contracts................................ 28
Diversification Requirements................................ 28
Ownership Treatment......................................... 28
DESCRIPTION OF LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY AND THE SEPARATE
ACCOUNT..................................................... 29
Lincoln Benefit Life Company................................ 29
Executive Officers and Directors of Lincoln Benefit......... 29
Separate Account............................................ 29
Safekeeping of the Separate Account's Assets................ 31
State Regulation of Lincoln Benefit......................... 31
Year 2000................................................... 31
MARKET TIMING AND ASSET ALLOCATION SERVICES................. 31
DISTRIBUTION OF POLICIES.................................... 32
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS........................................... 32
LEGAL MATTERS............................................... 32
REGISTRATION STATEMENT...................................... 32
EXPERTS..................................................... 32
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS........................................ 32
APPENDIX.................................................... A-1
THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFERING IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH
SUCH OFFERING MAY NOT BE LAWFULLY MADE. LINCOLN BENEFIT DOES NOT AUTHORIZE ANY
INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATIONS REGARDING THE OFFERING DESCRIBED IN THIS
PROSPECTUS OTHER THAN AS CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS.
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DEFINITIONS
Please refer to this list for the meaning of the following terms:
ACCUMULATION UNIT - An accounting unit of measurement which we use to calculate
the value of a Subaccount.
AGE - The Insured's age at his or her last birthday.
BENEFICIARY(IES) - The person(s) named by you to receive the Death Benefit under
the Policy.
DEATH BENEFIT - The amount payable to the Beneficiary under the Policy upon the
death of the Insured, before payment of any unpaid Policy Debt or Policy
Charges.
FACE AMOUNT - The initial amount of insurance under your Policy, adjusted for
any changes in accordance with the terms of your Policy.
FIXED ACCOUNT - The portion of the Policy Value allocated to our general
account.
GRACE PERIOD - A 61-day period during which the Policy will remain in force so
as to permit you to pay sufficient additional Premium to keep the Policy from
lapsing.
INSURED - The person whose life is insured under the Policy.
ISSUE DATE - The date on which the Policy is issued. It is used to determine
Policy Anniversaries, Policy Years and Policy Months.
LOAN ACCOUNT - An account established for amounts transferred from the
Subaccounts or the Fixed Account as security for outstanding Policy loans.
MONTHLY AUTOMATIC PAYMENT - A method of paying a Premium each month
automatically, for example by bank draft or salary deduction.
MONTHLY DEDUCTION - The amount deducted from Policy Value on each Monthly
Deduction Day for the policy fee, mortality and expense risk charge, cost of
insurance charge, and the cost of any benefit riders.
MONTHLY DEDUCTION DAY - The same day in each month as the Issue Date. The day of
the month on which Monthly Deductions are taken from your Policy Value.
NET DEATH BENEFIT - The Death Benefit, less any Policy Debt.
NET INVESTMENT FACTOR - The factor we use to determine the change in value of an
Accumulation Unit in any Valuation Period. We determine the Net Investment
Factor separately for each Subaccount.
NET POLICY VALUE - The Policy Value, less any Policy Debt.
NET PREMIUM - The Premium less the premium tax and the premium expense charges.
NET SURRENDER VALUE - The Policy Value less any applicable surrender charges and
less any unpaid Policy Debt. The Net Surrender Value must be positive for the
Policy to remain in effect, unless the Safety Net Premium feature is in effect.
POLICY ANNIVERSARY - The same day and month as the Issue Date for each
subsequent year the Policy remains in force.
POLICY DEBT - The sum of all unpaid Policy loans and accrued loan interest.
POLICY OWNER ("YOU") - The person(s) having the privileges of ownership defined
in the Policy. The Policy Owner may or may not be the same person as the
Insured. If your Policy is issued pursuant to a retirement plan, your ownership
privileges may be modified by the plan.
POLICY VALUE - The sum of the values of your interests in the Subaccounts of the
Separate Account, the Fixed Account and the Loan Account. The amount from which
the Monthly Deductions are made and the Death Benefit is determined.
POLICY YEAR - Each twelve-month period beginning on the Issue Date and each
Policy Anniversary.
PORTFOLIO(S) - The underlying mutual funds in which the Subaccounts invest. Each
Portfolio is an investment company registered with the SEC or a separate
investment series of a registered investment company.
PREMIUM - Amounts paid to us as premium for the Policy by you or on your behalf.
QUALIFIED PLAN - A pension or profit-sharing plan established by a corporation,
partnership, sole proprietor, or other eligible organization that is qualified
for favorable tax treatment under Section 401(a) or 403(b) of the Tax Code.
SEPARATE ACCOUNT - The Lincoln Benefit Life Variable Life Account, which is a
segregated investment account of Lincoln Benefit.
SUBACCOUNT - A subdivision of the Separate Account, which invests wholly in
shares of one of the Portfolios.
SURRENDER VALUE - The Policy Value less any applicable surrender charges.
TAX CODE - The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
VALUATION DATE - Each day the New York Stock Exchange is open for business.
VALUATION PERIOD - The period of time over which we determine the change in the
value of the Subaccounts in order to price Accumulation Units. Each Valuation
Period begins at the close of normal trading on the New York Stock Exchange
("NYSE"), currently 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, on each Valuation Date and ends at
the close of the NYSE on the next Valuation Date.
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
ABOUT YOUR POLICY
These are answers to questions that you may have about some of the most
important features of your Policy. The Policy is more fully described in the
remainder of the Prospectus. Please read the Prospectus carefully.
1. WHAT IS A FLEXIBLE PREMIUM VARIABLE UNIVERSAL LIFE INSURANCE POLICY?
The Policy has a Death Benefit, Policy Value, and other features of life
insurance providing fixed benefits. It is a "flexible premium" policy because
you have a great amount of flexibility in determining when and how much premium
you want to pay. It is a "variable" policy because the Death Benefit and Policy
Value vary according to the investment performance of the Portfolios to which
you have allocated your Premiums. The Policy Value is not guaranteed. Payment of
the Death Benefit may be guaranteed under the Safety Net Premium provision. This
Policy provides you with the opportunity to take advantage of any increase in
your Policy Value, but you also bear the risk of any decrease.
2. WHAT ARE THE DEATH BENEFIT OPTIONS?
While the Policy is in force, we will pay a Death Benefit to the Beneficiary
upon the death of the Insured. The Policy provides for two Death Benefit
options. Under Option 1, the Death Benefit is equal to the greater of your
Policy's Face Amount and the Policy Value multiplied by a specified percentage.
Under Option 2, the Death Benefit is equal to the greater of your Policy's Face
Amount plus the Policy Value on the Insured's date of death or the Policy Value
multiplied by a specified percentage. Decreases in the Policy Value will never
cause the Death Benefit to be less than the Face Amount. Before we pay the Death
Benefit to the Beneficiary, however, we will subtract an amount sufficient to
repay any outstanding Policy Debt and to pay any due and unpaid charges.
3. WHAT IS THE SAFETY NET PREMIUM FEATURE?
Unless otherwise required by your state, we agree to keep the Policy in force
for a specified period, regardless of the investment performance of the
Portfolios, as long as your total Premiums paid (as reduced to reflect
withdrawals and Policy Debt) at least equals the cumulative Safety Net Premium
amount shown in your Policy. If the Insured is age 70 or less at the Issue Date,
the specified period will be the first ten Policy Years. Otherwise, it will run
from the Issue Date until the next Policy Anniversary after the Insured's 80
birthday.
To keep the Safety Net Premium feature in effect, on each Monthly Deduction Day
your total Premiums (less withdrawals and Policy Debt) must at least equal the
total amount you would have paid if you had paid the Safety Net Premium each
month. If you have not paid sufficient Premiums, we will notify you and give you
61 days to remedy the shortfall. If you do not pay enough additional Premium
within this 61-day period, the Safety Net Premium feature will terminate and may
not be reinstated, even if you make up the shortfall after the end of the 61-day
period.
When the Safety Net Premium feature is not in effect, your Policy will remain in
force as long as the Net Surrender Value is large enough to pay the Monthly
Deductions on your Policy as they come due. If on any Monthly Deduction Day the
Net Surrender Value is less than the Monthly Deduction due, your Policy will
enter the Grace Period. If you do not pay sufficient additional Premium, at the
end of the Grace Period your Policy will end.
4. HOW WILL MY POLICY VALUE BE DETERMINED?
Your Premiums are invested in one or more of the Subaccounts of the Separate
Account or allocated to the Fixed Account, as you instruct us. Your Policy Value
is the sum of the values of your interests in the Subaccounts of the Separate
Account, plus the values in the Fixed Account and the Loan Account. Your Policy
Value will depend on the investment performance of the Subaccounts and the
amount of interest we credit to the Fixed Account, as well as the Net Premiums
paid, partial withdrawals, and charges assessed. We do not guarantee a minimum
Policy Value.
5. WHAT ARE THE PREMIUMS FOR THIS POLICY?
You have considerable flexibility as to the timing and amount of your Premiums.
You have a required Premium in your Policy, which is based on your Policy's Face
Amount and the Insured's age, sex, and risk class. You do not have to pay the
required Premium after the first Policy Year. To take advantage of the Safety
Net Premium feature, you must pay the cumulative Safety Net Premiums due.
Otherwise, you may pay any level of Premium, as long as the Premium would not
cause your Policy to lose its status as a life insurance contract under the Tax
Code. Your Policy also has a planned periodic Premium. You establish a planned
periodic Premium when you purchase a Policy. You are not required to pay the
planned periodic Premium, and we will not terminate your Policy merely because
you did not pay a planned periodic Premium.
6. CAN I INCREASE OR DECREASE MY POLICY'S FACE AMOUNT?
Yes, you have considerable flexibility to increase or decrease your Policy's
Face Amount. You may request an increase and/or a decrease after the first
Policy Year by sending us a written request. Your requested increase must be at
least $10,000. If you request an increase in Face Amount, you must provide us
with evidence of insurability that meets our underwriting standards. An increase
in the Face Amount of your Policy will increase the charges deducted from your
Policy Value. We will not decrease the Face Amount of your Policy below $50,000.
For more detail, see "Change in Face Amount", on page 18.
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7. HOW ARE MY PREMIUMS ALLOCATED?
Before your Premiums are allocated to the Policy Value, we deduct a premium tax
charge of 2.5% of each Premium and a premium expense charge. The premium expense
charge will be 3.5% of each Premium for the first ten Policy Years and 1.5%
thereafter. For more detail, see "Premium Tax Charge and Premium Expense Charge"
on page 22. The remaining amount is called the Net Premium.
When you apply for the Policy, you specify in your application how to allocate
your Net Premiums among the Subaccounts and the Fixed Account. You must use
whole number percentages and the total allocations must equal 100%. You may
change your allocation percentages at any time by notifying us in writing
Generally, we will allocate your Premiums to the Subaccounts and the Fixed
Account as of the date your Premiums are received in our home office. If a
Premium requires an underwriting, the Premium will not be allocated nor will it
earn interest prior to the Issue Date. Once underwriting approval and Premium is
received, we will allocate that Premium in accordance with your most recent
instructions. If there are outstanding requirements when we issue the Policy
which prevent us from placing your Policy in force, your Premiums will not be
allocated until all requirements are satisfied.
In some states, we are required to return at least your Premium if you cancel
your Policy during the "free-look" period. In those states, currently we
allocate any Premium received before the end of the free-look period as
described above. In the future, however, if you live in one of those states, we
reserve the right to delay allocating your Premiums to the Subaccounts you have
selected or to the Fixed Account until 20 days after the Issue Date or, if your
state's free look period is longer than ten days, for ten days plus the period
required by state law. We will allocate Premiums received during that time to
the Fidelity money Market Sub-Account.
You may transfer Policy Value among the Subaccounts and the Fixed Account while
the Policy is in force, by writing to us or calling us at 1-800-525-9287. While
we currently are not charging a transfer fee, the Policy gives us the right to
impose a transfer fee of up to $10 upon the second and each subsequent transfer
in a single calendar month. While you may also transfer amounts from the Fixed
Account, certain restrictions may apply. For more detail, see "Transfer of
Policy Value" and "Transfers Authorized by Telephone", on page 11. You may
also use our automatic Dollar Cost Averaging program or our Portfolio
Rebalancing program. You may not use both programs at the same time.
Under the Dollar Cost Averaging program, amounts are automatically transferred
at regular intervals from the Fixed Account or a Subaccount of your choosing to
up to eight options, including other Subaccounts or the Fixed Account. Transfers
may be made monthly, quarterly, or annually. For more detail, see "Dollar Cost
Averaging", on page 12.
Under the Portfolio Rebalancing program, you can maintain the percentage of your
Policy Value allocated to each Subaccount at a pre-set level. Investment results
will shift the balance of your Policy Value allocations. If you elect
rebalancing, we will automatically transfer your Policy Value back to the
specified percentages at the frequency (monthly, quarterly, semiannually,
annually) that you specify. For more detail, see "Portfolio Rebalancing", on
page 12.
8. WHAT ARE MY INVESTMENT CHOICES UNDER THE POLICY?
You can allocate and reallocate your Policy Value among the Subaccounts, each of
which in turn invests in a single Portfolio. Under the Policy, the Separate
Account currently invests in the following Portfolios:
Fund Portfolio(s)
- ----------------------------- -----------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------------
Janus Aspen Series Flexible Income Portfolio
Balanced Portfolio
Growth Portfolio
Aggressive Growth Portfolio
Worldwide Growth Portfolio
- ------------------------------------------------------------
Federated Insurance Utility Fund II
Management Series Fund for U.S. Government
Securities II
High Income Bond Fund II
- ------------------------------------------------------------
Fidelity Variable Insurance Money Market Portfolio
Products Fund Equity-Income Portfolio
Growth Portfolio
Overseas Portfolio
- ------------------------------------------------------------
Fidelity Variable Insurance Asset Manager Portfolio
Products Fund II Contrafund Portfolio
Index 500 Portfolio
- ------------------------------------------------------------
The Alger American Fund Income and Growth Portfolio
Small Capitalization
Portfolio
Growth Portfolio
MidCap Growth Portfolio
Leveraged AllCap Portfolio
- ------------------------------------------------------------
Scudder Variable Life Bond Portfolio
Investment Fund Balanced Portfolio
Growth and Income Portfolio
Global Discovery Portfolio
International Portfolio
- ------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Variable Insurance Discovery Fund II
Funds, Inc. Growth Fund II
- ------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Opportunity Fund II, Opportunity Fund II
Inc.
- ------------------------------------------------------------
T. Rowe Price International T. Rowe Price International
Series, Inc. Stock Portfolio
- ------------------------------------------------------------
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T. Rowe Price Equity Series, T. Rowe Price New America Growth Portfolio
Inc. T. Rowe Price Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio
T. Rowe Price Equity Income Portfolio
- ------------------------------------------------------------
MFS Variable Insurance Trust Growth with Income Series
Research Series
Emerging Growth Series
Total Return Series
New Discovery Series
- ------------------------------------------------------------
Each Portfolio holds its assets separately from the assets of the other
Portfolios. Each Portfolio has distinct investment objectives and policies,
which are described in the accompanying Prospectuses for the Portfolios.
Some of the Portfolios described in this Prospectus may not be available within
your Policy. In addition, the Fixed Account is available in most states.
9. MAY I TAKE OUT A POLICY LOAN?
Yes, you may borrow money from us using your Policy as security for the loan.
The maximum loan amount is equal to 90% of the Surrender Value. Other
restrictions may apply if your Policy is issued in connection with a Qualified
Plan. For more detail, see "Policy Loans", on page 19.
10. WHAT ARE THE CHARGES DEDUCTED FROM MY POLICY VALUE?
As noted above, when we receive a Premium from you, we will deduct a premium tax
charge and a premium expense charge, before we allocate your Net Premium to the
Policy Value. The combined premium tax and premium expense charges will be 6% of
your Premium for the first ten Policy Years and 4% of your Premium thereafter.
We also will take a Monthly Deduction from your Policy Value. The Monthly
Deduction consists of the following charges:
(a) A monthly policy fee of $7.50;
(b) A monthly mortality and expense risk charge;
(c) A cost of insurance charge; and
(d) The cost of any additional benefits provided to you by rider.
The mortality and expense risk charge for the first fourteen Policy Years will
be 0.72% (on an annual basis) of the Policy Value allocated to the Subaccounts.
Thereafter, we intend to charge an annual rate of 0.36%, and we guarantee that
we never charge more than 0.48%.
The cost of insurance charge covers our anticipated mortality costs. We
determine it separately for the initial Face Amount of your Policy and each
subsequent increase in Face Amount.
The monthly mortality and expense risk charge is deducted pro rata from your
interest in the Subaccounts. The other parts of the Monthly Deduction are
deducted pro rata from your interest in the Subaccounts and the Fixed Account.
We impose a surrender charge to cover a portion of the sales expenses we incur
in distributing the Policies. These expenses include agents' commissions,
advertising, and the printing of Prospectuses. The surrender charge is described
in the answer to Question 11 below and in "Surrender Charge", on page 25.
The charges assessed under the Policy are described in more detail in
"Deductions and Charges", beginning on page 22.
In addition to our charges under the Policy, each Portfolio deducts amounts from
its assets to pay its investment advisory fee and other expenses. Your should
refer to the Prospectuses for the Portfolios for more information concerning
their respective charges and expenses.
If we ever charge you a cost of insurance rate during the first five Policy
Years which is greater than the rate provided by the rate scale in effect on the
Issue Date, we will notify you. For 60 days after we mail that notice to you,
you may surrender your Policy without paying any surrender charge.
11. DO I HAVE ACCESS TO THE VALUE OF MY POLICY?
While the Policy is in force, you may surrender your Policy for the Net
Surrender Value. Upon surrender, life insurance coverage under the Policy will
end. You may also withdraw part of your Policy Value through a partial
withdrawal. A partial withdrawal must equal at least $500. For more detail, see
"Amount Payable on Surrender of the Policy" and "Partial Withdrawals", on page
20.
We may subtract a surrender charge from the surrender proceeds. The surrender
charge equals the amount shown in the surrender charge table in your Policy,
plus any additional surrender charge due to increases in the Face Amount of you
Policy. The amount of the surrender charge decreases over time.
Generally, the initial amount of the surrender charge is equal to the Initial
Face Amount of your Policy multiplied by the applicable rate per thousand
dollars of Face Amount. The applicable rate depends on the Insured's age at
issue, sex, and status as a smoker or non-smoker. For example, if the Insured is
age 45 when your Policy is issued, the applicable rates per thousand are as
follows:
Male Non-Smoker $27.51
Male Smoker $32.85
Female Non-Smoker $22.80
Female Smoker $25.55
Unisex Non-Smoker $26.56
Unisex Smoker $31.40
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The rates for each category are greater or lesser according to the age of the
Insured when your Policy is issued. The maximum rates are as follows:
Male Non-Smoker $53.98
Male Smoker $54.11
Female Non-Smoker $53.74
Female Smoker $54.01
Unisex Non-Smoker $53.72
Unisex Smoker $54.01
If you surrender your Policy after fourteen Policy Years have elapsed, we will
not charge a surrender charge (unless you have increased the Face Amount of your
Policy, as explained below). Before that time, we determine the applicable
surrender charge by multiplying the initial surrender charge on your Policy by
the appropriate surrender charge percentage for the Policy Year in which the
surrender occurs. The applicable surrender charge percentage depends on the
Insured's sex, age when your Policy was issued, and the number of years elapsed
since your Policy was issued. In most instances, the applicable surrender charge
percentage begins to decrease after the fifth Contract Year.
If you increase the Initial Face Amount of your Policy, we will determine an
additional surrender charge amount applicable to the amount of the increase. We
calculate the additional surrender charge using the same procedures described
above, except that we use the Insured's age and smoking status at the time of
the increase, rather than at the time your Policy was issued.
We will include in your Policy a table showing the surrender charge rates and
the surrender charge percentages applicable under the Policies. For more detail,
see "Surrender Charges", on page 25.
In addition, each time you take a partial withdrawal, we may deduct a partial
withdrawal service fee of $10 from the amount withdrawn.
12. WHAT ARE THE TAX CONSEQUENCES OF BUYING THIS POLICY?
Your Policy is structured to meet the definition of a life insurance contract
under the Tax Code. We may need to limit the amount of Premiums you pay under
the Policy to ensure that your Policy continues to meet that definition.
Current federal tax law generally excludes all death benefits from the gross
income of the beneficiary of a life insurance policy. In addition, you generally
are not subject to taxation on any increase in the Policy Value until it is
withdrawn. Generally, you will be taxed on surrender proceeds and the proceeds
of any partial withdrawals only if those amounts, when added to all previous
distributions, exceed the total Premiums paid. Amounts received upon surrender
or withdrawal in excess of Premiums paid will be treated as ordinary income.
Special rules govern the tax treatment of life insurance policies which meet the
federal definition of a modified endowment contracts. Depending on the amount
and timing of your Premiums, your Policy may meet that definition. Under current
tax law, death benefit payments under modified endowment contract, like death
benefit payments under life insurance contracts, generally are excluded from the
gross income of the beneficiary. Withdrawals and policy loans, however, are
treated differently. Amounts withdrawn and policy loans are treated first as
income, to the extent of any gain, and then as a return of premium. The income
portion of the distribution is includable in your taxable income. Also, an
additional 10% penalty tax is generally imposed on the taxable portion of
amounts received before age 59 1/2. For more information on the tax treatment of
the Policy, see "Tax Matters", beginning on page 27.
13. CAN I RETURN THIS POLICY AFTER IT HAS BEEN DELIVERED?
You may cancel your Policy by returning it to us within ten days after you
receive it, or after whatever longer period may be permitted by state law. If
you return your Policy, the Policy terminates and, in most states, we will pay
you an amount equal to your Policy Value on the date we receive the Policy from
you, plus any charges previously deducted. In some states, we are required to
send you the amount of your Premiums. In those states, we currently are
allocating your initial Premium as described in the answer to question 7 above.
In the future, however, if you live in one of those states, we reserve the right
to delay allocating your Premiums to the Subaccounts you have selected or to the
Fixed Account until 20 days after the Issue Date or, if your state's free look
period is longer than ten days, for ten days plus the period required by state
law. We will allocate Premiums received during that time to the Fidelity Money
Market Sub-Account. Your Policy will contain specific information about your
free-look rights in your state.
In addition, during the first two Policy Years or the first two years after an
increase in the Face Amount, if the Policy is in force you may convert it into a
non-variable universal life insurance policy. We will accomplish this by
transferring all of your Policy Value to the Fixed Account and ending your right
under the Policy to allocate Policy Value to the Subaccounts. We will not charge
you to perform this amendment.
PURCHASE OF POLICY AND ALLOCATION OF PREMIUMS
APPLICATION FOR A POLICY. You may apply to purchase a Policy by submitting a
written application to us at our home office. We generally will not issue
Policies to insure people who are older than age 80. The minimum Face Amount for
a Policy is $100,000. Before we issue a Policy, we will require you to submit
evidence of insurability satisfactory to us. Acceptance of your application is
subject to our underwriting rules. We reserve the right to reject your
application for any lawful reason. If we do not issue a Policy to you, we will
return your Premium to you. We reserve the right to change the terms or
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conditions of your Policy to comply with changes in the applicable law.
We will issue your Policy when we have determined that your application meets
our underwriting requirements. We will apply our customary underwriting
standards to the proposed Insured. If on the Issue Date there are outstanding
requirements that prevent us from placing your policy in force, we will allocate
your Premium when all requirements have been met. An example of an outstanding
requirement is an amendment to your application that requires your signature.
We will commence coverage of the Insured under the Policy, on the later of:
1) the Issue Date,
2) the date that we receive your first Premium,
3) the date that all requirements have been met.
If you pay a Premium with your application and your requested Face Amount is
less than $500,000, we will provide the Insured with temporary conditional
insurance only if you meet all of the terms of a conditional receipt. The
temporary conditional insurance provides coverage during the underwriting of
your application, but only if you are ultimately approved for coverage on the
same basis as the risk classification and Face Amount of coverage for which you
applied. This temporary conditional coverage starts when you complete your
application and pay the first Premium, unless a medical exam or lab test results
are required. In that event, temporary conditional coverage starts when all
medical exams and lab tests have been completed. The Issue Date determines
Monthly Deduction Days, Policy months, and Policy Years.
PREMIUMS. During the first Policy Year, you must pay an amount at least equal to
the required Premium shown in your Policy. We will send you a reminder notice if
you pay annually, semi-annually, or quarterly. You may also make a Monthly
Automatic Payment.
After the first Policy Year, you may pay additional Premium at any time, and in
any amount, as long as your Premium would not cause your Policy to lose its
status as a life insurance contract under the Tax Code, as explained below.
While your Policy also will show a planned periodic Premium amount, you are not
required to pay planned periodic Premiums. The planned periodic Premium is set
by you when you purchase your Policy. Your Policy will not lapse, however,
merely because you did not pay a planned periodic Premium.
Even if you pay all of the planned periodic Premiums, however, your Policy
nevertheless may enter the Grace Period and thereafter lapse if you have not
paid the required Safety Net Premium amount and the Net Surrender Value is no
longer enough to pay the Monthly Deductions. However, paying planned periodic
Premiums will generally provide greater benefits than if a lower amount of
Premium is paid. Paying planned periodic Premiums can also help to keep your
Policy in force if your payments are greater than the Safety Net Premium amount.
Premiums must be sent to us at our home office. Unless you request otherwise in
writing, we will treat all payments received while a Policy loan exists as new
Premium.
PREMIUM LIMITS. Before we will accept any Premium that would require an increase
in the net amount at risk under the Policy, you first must provide us with
evidence of insurability. The Tax Code imposes limits on the amount of Premium
that can be contributed under a life insurance contract. If you exceed this
limit, your Policy would lose its favorable federal income tax treatment under
the Tax Code. Accordingly, we will not accept any Premium which would cause your
Policy to exceed this limit, unless you increase the Face Amount of your Policy
appropriately. To obtain this increase, you must submit a written request to us
and provide evidence of insurability meeting our then current underwriting
standards. Otherwise, we will only accept the portion of your Premium that would
cause your total Premiums to equal the maximum permitted amount and we will
return the excess to you. In addition, we will not accept any additional Premium
from you until we can do so without exceeding the limit set by the Tax Code.
MODIFIED ENDOWMENT CONTRACTS. Under certain circumstances, a Policy could be
classified as a "modified endowment contract", a category of life insurance
contract defined in the Tax Code. If your Policy were to become a modified
endowment contract, distributions and loans from the Policy could result in
current taxable income for you, as well as other adverse tax consequences. These
tax consequences are described in more detail in "Tax Matters--Modified
Endowment Contracts", on page 28.
Your Policy could be deemed to be a modified endowment contract if, among other
things, you pay too much Premium or the Death Benefit is reduced. We will
monitor the status of your Policy and advise you if you need to take action to
prevent the Policy from being deemed to be a modified endowment contract. If you
pay a Premium that would result in your Policy being deemed a modified endowment
contract, we will notify you and allow you to request a refund of the excess
Premium, or other action, to avoid having your Policy being deemed a modified
endowment contract. If, however, you choose to have your Policy deemed a
modified endowment contract, we will not refund the Premium.
If you replace a modified endowment contract issued by another insurer with a
Policy, your Policy will also be deemed to be a modified endowment contract. Our
ability to determine whether a replaced policy issued by another insurer is a
modified endowment contract is based solely on the sufficiency of the policy
data we receive from the other insurer. We do not consider ourselves to be
liable to you if that data is insufficient to accurately determine whether the
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replaced policy is a modified endowment contract. You should discuss this issue
with your tax adviser if it pertains to your situation. Based on the information
provided to us, we will notify you as to whether you can contribute more Premium
to your Policy without causing it to become a modified endowment contract.
SAFETY NET PREMIUM. The Safety Net Premium feature is intended to enable you to
ensure that your Policy will remain in force during a specified period
regardless of changes in the Policy Value. If the Insured is age 70 or under at
the Issue Date, the specified period is the first ten Policy Years. Otherwise,
the specified period runs until the Policy Anniversary after the Insured's 80
birthday.
As a general rule, your Policy will enter the Grace Period, and may lapse, if
the Net Surrender Value is not sufficient to pay a Monthly Deduction when it is
due. Under the Safety Net Premium feature, however, we guarantee that regardless
of declines in your Policy Value, your Policy will not enter the Grace Period as
long as your total Premiums paid since the Issue Date, less partial withdrawals
and outstanding Policy loans, are greater than the monthly Safety Net Premium
amount times the number of months since the Issue Date.
During the first Policy Year, the Safety Net Premium amount will equal the
required Premium. As a result, if you pay your required Premium on a timely
basis, the Safety Net Premium feature will remain in effect.
If at any time your total Premiums, less partial withdrawals and Policy Debt,
are less than the product of the monthly Safety Net Premium times the number of
Policy Months since the Issue Date, we will let you know and you will have 61
days to satisfy the shortfall. If you do not, the Safety Net Premium guarantee
will end and it cannot be reinstated. After the Safety Net Premium guarantee is
no longer in effect, the Policy will stay in force only as long as the Net
Surrender Value is sufficient to pay the Monthly Deductions. For more detail
about the circumstances in which the Policy will lapse, see "Lapse and
Reinstatement", on page 21.
ALLOCATION OF PREMIUMS. Your Net Premiums are allocated to the Subaccount(s) and
the Fixed Account in the proportions that you have selected. You must specify
your allocation percentages in your Policy application. Percentages must be in
whole numbers and the total allocation must equal 100%.
We will allocate your subsequent Net Premiums in those percentages, until you
give us new allocation instructions.
You initially may allocate your Policy Value to up to twenty-one options,
counting each Subaccount and the Fixed Account as one option. You may add or
delete Subaccounts and/or the Fixed Account from your allocation instructions,
but we will not execute instructions that would cause you to have Policy Value
in more than twenty-one options. In the future we may waive this limit.
Usually, we will allocate your initial Net Premium to the Subaccounts and the
Fixed Account, as you have instructed us, on the Issue Date. If you do not pay
first Premium until after the Issue Date, we will allocate your initial Net
Premium to the Subaccounts on the date we receive it. If there are outstanding
requirements when we issue the Policy which prevent us from placing your Policy
in force, your Premiums will not be allocated until all requirements are
satisfied. No earnings or interest will be credited before the Issue Date.
In some states, we are required to return at least your Premium if you cancel
your Policy during the "free-look" period. In those states, currently we
allocate any Premium received before the end of the free-look period as
described above. In the future, however, if you live in one of those states, we
reserve the right to delay allocating your Premiums to the Subaccounts you have
selected or to the Fixed Account until 20 days after the Issue Date or, if your
state's free look period is longer than ten days, for ten days plus the period
required by state law. We will allocate Premiums received during that time to
the Fidelity Money Market Sub-Account.
We will make all valuations in connection with the Policy on the date a Premium
is received or your request for other action is received, if that date is a
Valuation Date and a date that we are open for business. Otherwise we will make
that determination on the next succeeding day which is a Valuation Date and a
date on which we are open for business.
POLICY VALUE. Your Policy Value is the sum of the value of your Accumulation
Units in the Subaccounts you have chosen, plus the value of your interest in the
Fixed Account, plus your Loan Account. Your Policy Value will change daily to
reflect the performance of the Subaccounts you have chosen, the addition of
interest credited to the Fixed Account, the addition of net Premiums, and the
subtraction of partial withdrawals and charges assessed. There is no minimum
guaranteed Policy Value.
On the Issue Date or, if later, the date your first Premium is received, your
Policy Value will equal the Net Premium less the Monthly Deduction for the first
Policy Month.
On each Valuation Date, the portion of your Policy Value in a particular
Subaccount will equal:
(1) The total value of your Accumulation Units in the Subaccount; plus
(2) Any Net Premium received from you and allocated to the Subaccount during
the current Valuation Period; plus
(3) Any Policy Value transferred to the Subaccount during the current Valuation
Period; minus
(4) Any Policy Value transferred from the Subaccount during the current
Valuation Period; minus
(5) Any amounts withdrawn by you (plus the applicable withdrawal charge) from
the Subaccount during the current Valuation Period; minus
(6) The portion of any Monthly Deduction allocated to the Subaccount during the
current Valuation Period for the Policy Month following the Monthly
Deduction Day.
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On each Valuation Date, the portion of your Policy Value in the Fixed Account
will equal:
(1) Any Net Premium allocated to it, plus
(2) Any Policy Value transferred to it from the Subaccounts; plus
(3) Interest credited to it; minus
(4) Any Policy Value transferred out of it; minus
(5) Any amounts withdrawn by you (plus the applicable withdrawal charge); minus
(6) The portion of any Monthly Deduction allocated to the Fixed Account.
All Policy Values equal or exceed those required by law. Detailed explanations
of methods of calculation are on file with the appropriate regulatory
authorities.
ACCUMULATION UNIT VALUE. The Accumulation Unit Value for each Subaccount will
vary to reflect the investment experience of the corresponding Portfolio. We
will determine the Accumulation Unit Value for each Subaccount on each Valuation
Day. A Subaccount's Accumulation Unit Value for a particular Valuation Day will
equal the Subaccount's Accumulation Unit Value on the preceding Valuation Day
multiplied by the Net Investment Factor for that Subaccount for the Valuation
Period then ended. The Net Investment Factor for each Subaccount is (1) divided
by (2), where: (1) is the sum of (a) the asset value per share of the
corresponding Portfolio at the end of the current Valuation Period and (b) the
per share amount of any dividend or capital gains distribution by that Portfolio
if the ex-dividend date occurs in that Valuation Period; and (2) is the net
asset value per share of the corresponding Portfolio at the end of the
immediately preceding Valuation Period.
You should refer to the Prospectuses for the Portfolios which accompany this
Prospectus for a description of how the assets of each Portfolio are valued,
since that determination has a direct bearing on the Net Investment Factor of
the corresponding Subaccount and, therefore, your Policy Value. For more detail,
see "Policy Value", on page 10.
TRANSFER OF POLICY VALUE. While the Policy is in force, you may transfer Policy
Value among the Fixed Account and Subaccounts in writing or by telephone.
Currently, there is no minimum transfer amount, except in states where a minimum
transfer amount is required by law. We may set a minimum transfer amount in the
future.
You currently may not have Policy Value in more than twenty-one options,
counting each Subaccount and the Fixed Account as one option. Accordingly, we
will not perform a transfer that would cause your Policy to exceed that limit.
We may waive this limit in the future.
As a general rule, we only make transfers on days when we and the NYSE are open
for business. If we receive your request on one of those days, we will make the
transfer that day. We close our offices for business on certain days immediately
preceding or following certain national holidays when the NYSE is open for
business. For calendar year 1999, our offices will be closed on July 5th,
November 26th, December 24th, and December 31st. For transfers requested on
these days, we will make the transfer on the first subsequent day on which we
and the NYSE are open.
We have established special requirements for transfers from the Fixed Account.
You may make a lump sum transfer from the Fixed Account to the Subaccounts only
during the 60 day period beginning on the Issue Date and each Policy
Anniversary. We will not process transfer requests received at any other time.
Transfers pursuant to a Dollar Cost Averaging or Portfolio Rebalancing program
may occur at any time at the intervals you have selected.
The maximum amount which may be transferred as a lump sum or as portfolio
rebalancing transfers from the Fixed Account during a Policy Year usually is:
- - 30% of the Fixed Account balance on the most recent Policy Anniversary; or
- - the largest total amount transferred from the Fixed Account in any prior
Policy Year.
This limit also applies to transfers under a Dollar Cost Averaging program,
unless you choose to transfer your entire Fixed Account balance to Subaccounts.
In that case, your maximum monthly transfer amount may not be more than 1/36th
of your Fixed Account balance on the day of the first transfer. We may waive or
modify these restrictions on transfers from the Fixed Account. You may not
transfer Policy Value or allocate new Premiums into the Fixed Account, if
transfers are being made out under the Dollar Cost Averaging program.
In addition, you may transfer 100% of the Fixed Account balance in a lump sum to
the Subaccount(s), if on any Policy Anniversary the interest rate on the Fixed
Account is lower than it was on the Policy Anniversary one year previously or if
on the first Policy Anniversary that interest rate is lower than it was on the
Issue Date. We will notify you by mail if this occurs. You may request a
transfer for 60 days following the date we mail notification to you.
The Policy permits us to defer transfers from the Fixed Account for up to six
months from the date you ask us. Also, we may restrict transfers from the
Subaccounts to the Fixed Account in each Policy Year to no more than 30% of the
total Subaccount balances as of the most recent Policy Anniversary. We currently
are not imposing this restriction on transfers from the Subaccounts.
TRANSFERS AUTHORIZED BY TELEPHONE. You may make transfers by telephone, if you
first send us a completed authorization form. The cut off time for telephone
transfer requests is 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. Calls completed before 4:00 p.m.
will be effected on that day at that day's price. Calls completed after 4:00
p.m. will be effected on the next day on which we and the NYSE are open for
business, at that day's price.
In the future, we may charge you the transfer fee described on page 44, although
currently we are waiving it. In addition,
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we may suspend, modify or terminate the telephone transfer privilege at any time
without notice.
We use procedures that we believe provide reasonable assurance that telephone
authorized transfers are genuine. For example, we tape telephone conversations
with persons purporting to authorize transfers and request identifying
information. Accordingly, we disclaim any liability for losses resulting from
allegedly unauthorized telephone transfers. However, if we do not take
reasonable steps to help ensure that a telephone authorization is valid, we may
be liable for such losses.
DOLLAR COST AVERAGING. Under our automatic Dollar Cost Averaging program, while
the Policy is in force you may authorize us to transfer a fixed dollar amount at
fixed intervals from the Fixed Account or a Subaccount of your choosing to up to
eight options, including other Subaccounts or the Fixed Account. The interval
between transfers may be monthly, quarterly, or annually, at your option. The
transfers will be made at the Accumulation Unit Value on the date of the
transfer. The transfers will continue until you instruct us otherwise, or until
your chosen source of transfer payments is exhausted. Currently, the minimum
transfer amount is $100 per transfer. We may change this minimum or grant
exceptions. If you elect this program, the first transfer will occur one
interval after your Issue Date.
Your request to participate in this program will be effective when we receive
your completed application at the P.O. Box given on the first page of this
Prospectus. Call or write us for a copy of the application. You may elect to
increase, decrease or change the frequency or amount of Purchase Payments under
a Dollar Cost Averaging program. Special restrictions apply to transfers from
the Fixed Account. They are explained on page 11.
The theory of dollar cost averaging is that you will purchase more units when
the unit prices are relatively low rather than when the prices are higher. As a
result, when purchases are made at fluctuating prices, the average cost per unit
is less than the average of the unit prices on the purchase dates. However,
participation in this program does not assure you of a greater profit from your
purchases under the program; nor will it prevent or necessarily reduce losses in
a declining market. You may not use dollar cost averaging and portfolio
rebalancing at the same time.
PORTFOLIO REBALANCING. Portfolio rebalancing allows you to maintain the
percentage of your Policy Value allocated to each Subaccount and/or the Fixed
Account at a pre-set level. For example, you could specify that 30% of your
Policy Value should be in the Balanced Portfolio, 40% in the Growth
Portfolio-Janus Aspen Series and 30% in the Fidelity VIP II Contrafund
Portfolio. Over time, the variations in each Subaccount's investment results
will shift the balance of your Policy Value allocations. Under the portfolio
rebalancing feature, we will automatically transfer your Policy Value, including
new Premiums (unless you specify otherwise), back to the percentages you
specify. Portfolio rebalancing is consistent with maintaining your allocation of
investments among market segments, although it is accomplished by reducing your
Policy Value allocated to the better performing segments.
You may choose to have rebalances made monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or
annually. We will not charge a transfer fee for portfolio rebalancing. No more
than eight Subaccounts, or seven Subaccounts and the Fixed Account, can be
included in a Portfolio Rebalancing program at one time.
Transfers from the Fixed Account under a Portfolio Rebalancing program are
subject to the overall limit on transfers from the Fixed Account. Accordingly,
if the total amount transferred from the Fixed Account in any Policy Year
reaches that limit before the end of the year, we will not transfer additional
amounts from the Fixed Account for portfolio rebalancing purposes until the next
Policy Year.
You may request Portfolio Rebalancing at any time by submitting a completed
written request to us at the address given on the first page of this Prospectus.
Please call or write us for a copy of the request form. If you stop Portfolio
Rebalancing, you must wait 30 days to begin again. The date of your rebalancing
must coincide with the same day of the month as your Issue Date. If you request
rebalancing on your Policy application but do not specify a date for your first
rebalancing, it will occur one period after the Issue Date. Otherwise, your
first rebalancing will occur one period after we receive your completed request
form. All subsequent rebalancing will occur at the intervals you have specified
on the day of the month that coincides with the same day of the month as your
Issue Date.
Generally, you may change the allocation percentages, frequency, or choice of
Subaccounts at any time. If you include the Fixed Account in a Portfolio
Rebalancing program, however, in any consecutive twelve months you may not
change the allocation percentages more than twice and the total change to the
Fixed Amount allocation may not exceed 20%. We may waive this restriction.
If your total Policy Value subject to rebalancing falls below any minimum value
that we may establish, we may prohibit or limit your use of portfolio
rebalancing. You may not use Dollar Cost Averaging and Portfolio Rebalancing at
the same time. We may change, terminate, limit, or suspend Portfolio Rebalancing
at any time.
SPECIALIZED USES OF THE POLICY. Because the Policy provides for an accumulation
of Policy Value as well as a Death Benefit, you may wish to use it for various
individual and business financial planning purposes. Purchasing the Policy in
part for such purposes involves certain risks. For example, if the investment
performance of the Subaccounts is poorer than expected or if sufficient Premiums
are not paid, the Policy may lapse or may not accumulate sufficient Policy Value
to fund the purpose for which you purchased the Policy. Withdrawals and Policy
loans may significantly affect current and
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future Policy Value, Surrender Value, or Death Benefit proceeds. Depending upon
the investment performance of the Portfolios in which the Subaccounts invest and
the amount of a Policy loan, a Policy loan may cause your Policy to lapse.
Because the Policy is designed to provide benefits on a long-term basis, before
purchasing a Policy for a specialized purpose, you should consider whether the
long-term nature of the Policy is consistent with the purpose for which it is
being considered. In addition, using a Policy for a specialized purpose may have
tax consequences. (See "Tax Matters," beginning on page 28.)
THE INVESTMENT AND FIXED ACCOUNT OPTIONS
SEPARATE ACCOUNT INVESTMENTS
PORTFOLIOS. Each of the Subaccounts of the Separate Account invests in the
shares of one of the Portfolios. Each Portfolio is either an open-end management
investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 or a
separate investment series of an open-end management investment company. We have
briefly described the Portfolios below. You should read the current Prospectuses
for the Portfolios for more detailed and complete information concerning the
Portfolios, their investment objectives and strategies, and the investment risks
associated with the Portfolios. If you do not have a Prospectus for a Portfolio,
contact us and we will send you a copy.
Each Portfolio holds its assets separate from the assets of the other
Portfolios, and each Portfolio has its own distinct investment objective and
policies. Each Portfolio operates as a separate investment fund, and the income,
gains, and losses of one Portfolio generally have no effect on the investment
performance of any other Portfolio.
We do not promise that the Portfolios will meet their investment objectives.
Amounts you have allocated to Subaccounts may grow in value, decline in value,
or grow less than you expect, depending on the investment performance of the
Portfolios in which those Subaccounts invest. You bear the investment risk that
those Portfolios possibly will not meet their investment objectives. YOU SHOULD
CAREFULLY REVIEW THE PORTFOLIOS' PROSPECTUSES BEFORE ALLOCATING AMOUNTS TO THE
SUBACCOUNTS OF THE SEPARATE ACCOUNT.
JANUS ASPEN SERIES (investment adviser: Janus Capital Corporation)
FLEXIBLE INCOME PORTFOLIO seeks to maximize total return from a combination of
current income and capital appreciation, with an emphasis on current income.
This Portfolio invests in all types of income-producing securities. This
Portfolio may have substantial holdings of debt securities rated below
investment grade. Investments in such securities present special risks; you are
urged to carefully read the risk disclosure in the accompanying Prospectus for
the Portfolio before allocating amounts to the Janus Flexible Income Subaccount.
BALANCED PORTFOLIO seeks both growth of capital and current income. This
Portfolio usually invests 40-60% of its assets in securities selected primarily
for their growth potential and 40-60% of its assets in securities selected
primarily for their income potential.
GROWTH PORTFOLIO seeks long-term growth of capital by investing primarily in a
diversified portfolio of common stocks of a large number of issuers of any size.
Generally, this Portfolio emphasizes issuers with larger market capitalizations.
AGGRESSIVE GROWTH PORTFOLIO seeks long-term growth of capital. It is a
non-diversified fund. It usually invests at least 50% of its equity assets in
securities issued by medium-sized companies, which are companies whose market
capitalizations at the time of purchase by the Portfolio fall within the same
range as companies in the S&P MidCap 400 Index. This range is expected to change
on a regular basis. This Portfolio may invest its remaining assets in smaller or
larger issuers.
WORLDWIDE GROWTH PORTFOLIO seeks long-term growth of capital by investing in a
diversified portfolio of common stocks of foreign and domestic issuers of any
size. This Portfolio usually invests in issuers from at least five different
countries including the United States.
FEDERATED INSURANCE MANAGEMENT SERIES (investment adviser: Federated Advisers)
FEDERATED UTILITY FUND II'S investment objective is to achieve high current
income and moderate capital appreciation. The Portfolio invests primarily in
equity and debt securities of utility companies that produce, transmit, or
distribute gas and electric energy, as well as those companies that provide
communications facilities, such as telephone and telegraph companies.
FEDERATED FUND FOR U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES II'S investment objective is to
provide current income. The Portfolio invests in direct obligations of the U.S.
Government or its agencies or instrumentalities, and securities guaranteed by
the U.S. Government, its agencies, or instrumentalities. This Portfolio may also
invest in certain collateralized mortgage obligations and repurchase agreements.
FEDERATED HIGH INCOME BOND FUND II'S investment objective is to seek high
current income. This Portfolio invests at least 65% of its assets in lower rated
corporate debt obligations, such as preferred stocks, bonds, debentures, notes,
equipment lease certificates and equipment trust certificates. Some of these
fixed income securities may involve equity features. Under normal circumstances,
this Portfolio will not invest more than 10% of the value of its total assets in
equity securities.
FIDELITY VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS FUND (investment adviser: Fidelity
Management & Research Company)
MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIO seeks to obtain as high a level of current income as is
consistent with preserving capital and
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providing liquidity. This Portfolio will limit its investments to securities
with remaining maturities of 397 days or less.
EQUITY-INCOME PORTFOLIO seeks reasonable income by investing primarily in
income-producing equity securities. The goal is to achieve a higher yield than
the composite yield of the S&P 500 Composite Stock Price Index. At least 65% of
this Portfolio's assets will be invested in income producing common or preferred
stock. The remainder will usually be invested in convertible and non-convertible
debt obligations.
GROWTH PORTFOLIO seeks to achieve capital appreciation. This Portfolio usually
purchases common stocks, although its investments are not restricted to any one
type of security.
OVERSEAS PORTFOLIO seeks long-term growth of capital primarily through
investments in foreign securities. At least 65% of this Portfolio's assets will
be invested in securities of issuers outside of North America. Most issuers will
be located in developed countries in the Americas, the Far East and Pacific
Basin, Scandinavia and Western Europe.
FIDELITY VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS FUND II (investment adviser: Fidelity
Management & Research Company)
ASSET MANAGER PORTFOLIO seeks to obtain high total return with reduced risk over
the long term by allocating its assets among domestic and foreign stocks, bonds,
and short-term fixed-income securities. Usually, this Portfolio's assets will be
allocated within the following guidelines: 50-100% in stocks (equities); 0-50%
in bonds (intermediate to long-term); and 0-50% in short-term instruments.
CONTRAFUND PORTFOLIO seeks capital appreciation by investing mainly in equity
securities of companies that the Portfolio's adviser believes to be undervalued
due to an overly pessimistic appraisal by the public. This Portfolio usually
invests primarily in common stock of domestic and foreign issuers, but it may
invest in any type of security that may produce capital appreciation.
INDEX 500 PORTFOLIO seeks long-term capital growth through the purchase of a
portfolio of securities that broadly represents the U.S. stock market, as
measured by the S&P 500. By investing to match the return of the S&P 500, the
Portfolio seeks to keep expenses low. The Portfolio does not expect to achieve
potentially greater results than could be obtained by a fund that aggressively
seeks growth.
THE ALGER AMERICAN FUND (investment adviser: Fred Alger Management)
INCOME AND GROWTH PORTFOLIO seeks primarily to provide a high level of dividend
income. Capital appreciation is a secondary objective of the Portfolio. It is a
fundamental policy of the Portfolio to invest at least 65% of its total assets
in dividend paying equity securities, under normal circumstances. The Portfolio
usually attempts to invest 100% of its assets in dividend paying equity
securities.
SMALL CAPITALIZATION PORTFOLIO seeks long-term capital appreciation. Under
normal circumstances, the Portfolio invests at least 65% of its total assets in
equity securities of companies that at the time of purchase have total market
capitalization within the range of companies included in the Russell 2000 Growth
Index or the S&P SmallCap 600 Index. The Portfolio may invest its remaining
assets in equity securities of companies that at the time of purchase have total
market capitalization outside of this combined range.
GROWTH PORTFOLIO seeks long-term capital appreciation. Under normal
circumstances, the Portfolio invests at least 65% of its total assets in equity
securities of companies that have total market capitalization of $1 billion or
greater. The Portfolio may invest up to 35% of its total assets in equity
securities of companies that have total market capitalization of less than $1
billion.
MIDCAP GROWTH PORTFOLIO seeks long-term capital appreciation. Under normal
circumstances, the Portfolio invests at least 65% of its total assets in equity
securities of companies that have total market capitalization within the range
of companies included in the S&P MidCap 400 Index.
LEVERAGED ALLCAP PORTFOLIO seeks long-term capital appreciation. Except during
temporary defensive periods, the Portfolio invests at least 85% of its net
assets in equity securities of companies of any size. The Portfolio may purchase
put and call options and sell (write) covered call and put options on securities
and securities indexes to increase gain and to hedge against the risk of
unfavorable price movements, and may enter into futures contracts on securities
indexes and purchase and sell call and put options on these futures contracts.
The Portfolio may also borrow money for the purchase of additional securities.
SCUDDER VARIABLE LIFE INVESTMENT FUND (investment adviser: Scudder, Stevens &
Clark, Inc.) The Scudder Variable Life Investment Fund has two classes of
shares. The Subaccounts invest in Class A shares, which do not impose
distribution fees.
BOND PORTFOLIO seeks high income from a high quality portfolio of debt
securities. Under normal circumstances, this Portfolio invests at least 65% of
its assets in bonds including those of the U.S. Government and its agencies and
those of corporations and other notes and bonds paying high current income. This
Portfolio can invest in a broad range of short, intermediate and long-term
securities.
BALANCED PORTFOLIO seeks a balance of growth and income from a diversified
portfolio of equity and fixed income securities. The Portfolio also seeks
long-term preservation of capital through a quality-oriented investment approach
that is designed to reduce risk. The Portfolio will invest its assets in equity
securities, debt securities with maturities generally exceeding one year, and
money market instruments and other debt securities with maturities generally not
exceeding thirteen months. Not more than 75% of this Portfolio's net assets may
be invested in stocks or other equity investments. Generally, 25%-50% of the
Portfolio's net assets are invested in bonds.
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GROWTH AND INCOME PORTFOLIO seeks long-term growth of capital, current income
and growth of income. In pursuing these three objectives, the Portfolio invests
primarily in common stocks, preferred stocks, and securities convertible into
common stocks of companies which offer the prospect for growth of earnings while
paying higher than average current dividends. The Portfolio allocates its
investments among different industries and companies, and changes its portfolio
securities for investment considerations and not for trading purposes.
GLOBAL DISCOVERY PORTFOLIO seeks above-average capital appreciation over the
long term by investing primarily in the equity securities of small companies
located throughout the world. The Portfolio is designed for investors looking
for above-average appreciation potential (when compared with the overall
domestic stock market as reflected by the S&P 500 Stock Composite Price Index)
and the benefits of investing globally, but who are willing to accept
above-average stock market risk, the impact of currency fluctuation, and little
or no current income. The Portfolio generally invests in small, rapidly growing
companies that offer the potential for above-average returns relative to larger
companies, yet are frequently overlooked and thus undervalued by the market.
INTERNATIONAL PORTFOLIO seeks long-term growth of capital primarily through
diversified holdings of marketable foreign equity investments. The Portfolio
invests in companies, wherever organized, which do business primarily outside
the United States. The Portfolio intends to diversify investments among several
countries and to have represented in its holdings business activities in not
less than three different countries, excluding the United States. The Portfolio
invests primarily in equity securities of established companies, listed on
foreign exchanges, which its adviser believes have favorable characteristics. It
may also invest in fixed income securities of foreign governments and companies.
STRONG VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS, INC. (investment adviser: Strong Capital
Management, Inc.)
DISCOVERY FUND II seeks capital growth. The Portfolio usually emphasizes equity
investments, although it has the flexibility to invest in any security the
adviser believes has the potential for capital appreciation. The Portfolio's
strategy is to invest generally in small cap companies that are in good
businesses, are headed by capable and motivated management, and trade at
attractive valuations. To a limited extent, and by prospectus, the portfolio may
invest in mid or large cap stocks as well.
GROWTH FUND II seeks capital growth. The Portfolio invests primarily in equity
securities that the adviser believes have above-average growth prospects and are
selling at reasonable valuations. The Portfolio generally has over half of its
assets in small- and mid-cap issues as these companies tend to have the highest
growth rates.
STRONG OPPORTUNITY FUND II, INC. (investment adviser: Strong Capital Management,
Inc.)
OPPORTUNITY FUND II seeks capital growth. The Portfolio currently emphasizes
medium-sized companies that the adviser believes are under-researched and
attractively valued. To achieve its investment goals, the Portfolio seeks to
find well-managed companies that have sustainable growth prospects but that are
selling at prices below their private market values.
T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL SERIES, INC. (investment adviser: Rowe Price-Fleming
International, Inc., a joint venture between T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. and
Robert Fleming Holdings, Ltd.)
T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL STOCK PORTFOLIO seeks long-term growth of capital
through investments primarily in common stocks of established, non-U.S.
companies. The Portfolio invests substantially all of its assets outside the
United States and broadly diversifies its investments among developed and
emerging countries throughout the world.
T. ROWE PRICE EQUITY SERIES, INC. (investment adviser: T. Rowe Price Associates,
Inc.)
T. ROWE PRICE NEW AMERICA GROWTH PORTFOLIO seeks long-term growth of capital
through investment primarily in the common stocks of U.S. growth companies
operating in service industries. The Portfolio will invest most of its assets in
service companies, regardless of size, that the adviser believes to be
above-average performers in their fields. The Portfolio may invest up to 25% of
its assets in growth companies outside the service sector.
T. ROWE PRICE MID-CAP GROWTH PORTFOLIO seeks long-term capital appreciation by
investing primarily in mid-cap stocks with the potential for above-average
earnings growth. The adviser will invest at least 65% of the Portfolio's assets
in a diversified portfolio of common stocks of mid-cap companies whose earnings
the adviser expects to grow at a faster rate than the average company. The
adviser defines mid-cap companies as those with market capitalizations within
the range of companies in the S&P 400 Mid-Cap Index. However, the Portfolio will
not automatically sell or cease to purchase stock of a company it already owns
just because the company's market cap grows or falls outside this range. The
Portfolio also may invest in other types of securities, such as foreign
securities, convertible stocks and bonds, and warrants, when consistent with the
Portfolio's investment objective.
T. ROWE PRICE EQUITY INCOME PORTFOLIO seeks to provide substantial dividend
income as well as long-term growth of capital by investing primarily in common
stocks of established companies. Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio
usually will invest at least 65% of its total assets in common stocks of
established companies paying above-average dividends which are expected to have
favorable prospects for dividend growth and capital appreciation. The Portfolio
may also invest in other securities such as foreign securities, convertible
stocks and bonds, and warrants when consistent with the Portfolio's investment
objective.
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MFS VARIABLE INSURANCE TRUST (investment adviser: Massachusetts Financial
Services)
GROWTH WITH INCOME SERIES seeks reasonable current income, as well as long-term
growth of capital and income. The Portfolio invests in stocks of companies that
the adviser considers to be of high or improving investment quality. The
Portfolio has the flexibility to invest in derivative securities when its
managers believe such securities can provide better value relative to direct
investments in stocks and bonds.
RESEARCH SERIES seeks to provide long-term growth of capital and future income.
The Portfolio invests in the common stocks of companies the adviser believes
possess better-than-average prospects for long-term growth. The Portfolio may
invest up to 20% of its net assets in foreign and emerging market securities.
Investing in foreign and emerging market securities involves special risks and
may increase share price volatility. The Portfolio has the flexibility to invest
in derivative securities when its adviser believes such securities can provide
better value relative to direct investments in stocks and bonds.
EMERGING GROWTH SERIES seeks to provide long-term growth of capital. The
Portfolio invests primarily in common stocks of companies that are early in
their life cycles but which have the potential to become major enterprises. The
Portfolio may also invest in more established companies whose earnings growth
the adviser expects to accelerate because of special factors. Investing in
emerging growth companies involves greater risk than is customarily associated
with more established companies. The Portfolio also may invest up to 25% of its
net assets in foreign and emerging market securities. The Portfolio has the
flexibility to invest in derivative securities when its adviser believes such
securities can provide better value relative to direct investments in stocks or
bonds.
TOTAL RETURN SERIES seeks to provide above-average current income (compared to a
portfolio invested entirely in equity securities) consistent with the prudent
employment of capital. The Portfolio secondarily seeks to provide reasonable
opportunity for growth of capital and income. The Portfolio invests in both
equities and fixed income securities. The equity segment is actively managed
with a value-oriented style of investing. The fixed income segment is actively
managed through shifts in maturity, duration, and sector components. The
Portfolio may invest up to 20% of its assets in foreign and emerging market
securities. The Portfolio has the flexibility to invest in derivative securities
when its adviser believes such securities can provide better value relative to
direct investments in stocks or bonds.
NEW DISCOVERY SERIES seeks capital appreciation. This Portfolio seeks to achieve
its objective by investing under normal market conditions at least 65% of its
total assets in companies that its adviser believes offer superior prospects for
growth. Those securities may either be listed on securities exchanges or traded
in the over-the-counter markets and may be U.S. or foreign companies.
Each Portfolio is subject to certain investment restrictions and policies which
may not be changed without the approval of a majority of the shareholders of the
Portfolio. See the accompanying Prospectuses of the Portfolios for further
information.
We automatically reinvest all dividends and capital gains distributions from the
Portfolios in shares of the distributing Portfolio at their net asset value. The
income and realized and unrealized gains or losses on the assets of each
Subaccount are separate and are credited to or charged against the particular
Subaccount without regard to income, gains or losses from any other Subaccount
or from any other part of our business. We will use the net Premiums you
allocate to a Subaccount to purchase shares in the corresponding Portfolio and
will redeem shares in the Portfolios to meet Policy obligations or make
adjustments in reserves. The Portfolios are required to redeem their shares at
net asset value and to make payment within seven days.
Some of the Portfolios have been established by investment advisers which manage
publicly traded mutual funds having similar names and investment objectives.
While some of the Portfolios may be similar to, and may in fact be modeled after
publicly traded mutual funds, you should understand that the Portfolios are not
otherwise directly related to any publicly traded mutual fund. Consequently, the
investment performance of publicly traded mutual funds and any similarly named
Portfolio may differ substantially.
Certain of the Portfolios sell their shares to Separate Accounts underlying both
variable life insurance and variable annuity contacts. It is conceivable that in
the future it may be unfavorable for variable life insurance separate accounts
and variable annuity separate accounts to invest in the same Portfolio. Although
neither we nor any of the Portfolios currently foresees any such disadvantages
either to variable life insurance or variable annuity contract owners, each
Portfolio's Board of Directors intends to monitor events in order to identify
any material conflicts between variable life and variable annuity contract
owners and to determine what action, if any, should be taken in response
thereto. If a Board of Directors were to conclude that separate investment funds
should be established for variable life and variable annuity separate accounts,
Lincoln Benefit will bear the attendant expenses.
VOTING RIGHTS. As a general matter, you do not have a direct right to vote the
shares of the Portfolios held by the Subaccounts to which you have allocated
your Policy Value. Under current law, however, you are entitled to give us
instructions on how to vote those shares on certain matters. We will notify you
when your instructions are needed and will provide proxy materials or other
information to assist you in understanding the matter at issue. We will
determine the number of votes for which you may give voting instructions as of
the record date set by the relevant Portfolio for the shareholder meeting at
which the vote will occur.
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As a general rule, you are the person entitled to give voting instructions.
However, if you assign your Policy, the assignee may be entitled to give voting
instructions. Retirement plans may have different rules for voting by plan
participants.
If you send us written voting instructions, we will follow your instructions in
voting the Portfolio shares attributable to your Policy. If you do not send us
written instructions, we will vote the shares attributable to your Policy in the
same proportions as we vote the shares for which we have received instructions
from other Policy owners. We will vote shares that we hold in the same
proportions as we vote the shares for which we have received instructions from
other Policy owners.
We may, when required by state insurance regulatory authorities, disregard
Policy Owner voting instructions if the instructions require that the shares be
voted so as to cause a change in the sub-classification or investment objective
of one or more of the Portfolios or to approve or disapprove an investment
advisory contract for one or more of the Portfolios.
In addition, we may disregard voting instructions in favor of changes initiated
by Policy owners in the investment objectives or the investment adviser of the
Portfolios if we reasonably disapprove of the proposed change. We would
disapprove a proposed change only if the proposed change is contrary to state
law or prohibited by state regulatory authorities or we reasonably conclude that
the proposed change would not be consistent with the investment objectives of
the Portfolio or would result in the purchase of securities for the Portfolio
which vary from the general quality and nature of investments and investment
techniques utilized by the Portfolio. If we disregard voting instructions, we
will include a summary of that action and our reasons for that action in the
next semi-annual financial report to you.
This description reflects our view of currently applicable law. If the law
changes or our interpretation of the law changes, we may decide that we are
permitted to vote the Portfolio shares without obtaining instructions from our
Policy Owners, and we may choose to do so.
ADDITIONS, DELETIONS, AND SUBSTITUTIONS OF SECURITIES. If the shares of any of
the Portfolios are no longer available for investment by the Separate Account or
if, in the judgment of our Board of Directors, further investment in the shares
of a Portfolio is no longer appropriate in view of the purposes of the Policy,
we may add or substitute shares of another Portfolio or mutual fund for
Portfolio shares already purchased or to be purchased in the future by Premiums
under the Policy. Any substitution of securities will comply with the
requirements of the 1940 Act.
We also reserve the right to make the following changes in the operation of the
Separate Account and the Subaccounts:
(a) to operate the Separate Account in any form permitted by law;
(b) to take any action necessary to comply with applicable law or obtain and
continue any exemption from applicable laws;
(c) to transfer assets from one Subaccount to another, or from any Subaccount
to our general account;
(d) to add, combine, or remove Subaccounts in the Separate Account; and
(e) to assess a charge for taxes attributable to the operations of the Separate
Account or for other taxes, as described in "Deductions and Charges -
Deduction for Separate Account Income Taxes" on page 23 below.
(f) to change the way in which we assess other charges, as long as the total
other charges do not exceed the amount currently charged the Separate
Account and the Portfolios in connection with the Policies.
If we take any of these actions, we will comply with the then applicable legal
requirements.
THE FIXED ACCOUNT. THE PORTION OF THE POLICY RELATING TO THE FIXED ACCOUNT IS
NOT REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 AND THE FIXED ACCOUNT IS NOT
REGISTERED AS AN INVESTMENT COMPANY UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940.
ACCORDINGLY, NEITHER THE FIXED ACCOUNT NOR ANY INTERESTS IN THE FIXED ACCOUNT
ARE SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OR RESTRICTIONS OF THE 1933 ACT OR THE 1940 ACT,
AND THE DISCLOSURE REGARDING THE FIXED ACCOUNT HAS NOT BEEN REVIEWED BY THE
STAFF OF THE SEC. THE STATEMENTS ABOUT THE FIXED ACCOUNT IN THIS PROSPECTUS MAY
BE SUBJECT TO GENERALLY APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF THE FEDERAL SECURITIES LAWS
REGARDING ACCURACY AND COMPLETENESS.
You may allocate part or all of your Premiums to the Fixed Account in states
where it is available. The Fixed Account is not available in some states.
Amounts allocated to the Fixed Account become part of the general assets of
Lincoln Benefit. Allstate Life invests the assets of the general account in
accordance with applicable laws governing the investments of insurance company
general accounts.
We will credit interest to amounts allocated to the Fixed Account. We guarantee
that the interest rate credited to the Fixed Account will be at least 4%. We may
credit interest at a higher rate, but we are not obligated to do so. You assume
the risk that interest credited to the Fixed Account may be no higher than the
minimum guaranteed rate.
Transfers from the Fixed Account are subject to the limitations described on
page 11 above. Also, as described on page 22 below, we may delay payment of
partial withdrawals or Surrender Value from the Fixed Account for up to 6
months.
POLICY BENEFITS AND RIGHTS
DEATH BENEFIT. While your Policy is in force, we will pay the Death Benefit
proceeds upon the death of the Insured. We will pay the Death Benefit proceeds
to the named Beneficiary(ies) or contingent Beneficiary(ies). As described below
in
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"Settlement Options", on page 21, we will pay the Death Benefit proceeds in a
lump sum or under an optional payment plan.
The Death Benefit proceeds payable to the Beneficiary equal the applicable Death
Benefit, less any Policy Debt and less any due and unpaid charges. The proceeds
may be increased, if you have added a rider that provides an additional benefit.
We will determine the amount of the Death Benefit proceeds as of the end of the
Valuation Period during which the Insured dies. We will usually pay the Death
Benefit proceeds within seven days after we have received due proof of death and
all other requirements we deem necessary have been satisfied.
The amount of the Death Benefit will be based on the Death Benefit Option you
have selected, any increases or decreases in the Face Amount, and in some
instances your Policy Value.
DEATH BENEFIT OPTIONS. You may choose one of two Death Benefit options:
(1) If you select Option 1, the Death Benefit will be the greater of: (a) the
Face Amount of the Policy or (b) the Policy Value multiplied by the
applicable corridor percentage as described below.
(2) If you select Option 2, the Death Benefit will be the greater of: (a) the
Face Amount plus the Policy Value, or (b) the Policy Value multiplied by
the applicable corridor percentage as described below.
While your Policy remains in force, we guarantee that the Death Benefit will not
be less than the greater of the current Face Amount of the Policy or the Policy
Value multiplied by the applicable corridor percentage. We have set forth the
applicable corridor percentages in the Policy. They vary according to the age of
the Insured. We set the corridor percentages so as to seek to ensure that the
Policies will qualify for favorable federal income tax treatment. An increase in
Policy Value due to favorable investment experience may therefore increase the
Death Benefit above the Face Amount, and a decrease in Policy Value due to
unfavorable investment experience may decrease the Death Benefit (but not below
the Face Amount).
EXAMPLES:
A B
-------- --------
Face Amount $100,000 $100,000
Death Benefit Option 1 1
Insured's Age 45 45
Policy Value on Date of Death $ 48,000 $ 34,000
Applicable Corridor Percentage 215% 215%
Death Benefit $103,200 $100,000
In Example A, the Death Benefit equals $103,200, I.E., the greater of $100,000
(the Face Amount) and $103,200 (the Policy Value at the Date of Death of
$48,000, multiplied by the corridor percentage of 215%). This amount, less any
Policy Debt and unpaid charges, constitutes the Death Benefit proceeds that we
would pay to the Beneficiary.
In Example B, the Death Benefit is $100,000, i.e., the greater of $100,000 (the
Face Amount) or $73,100 (the Policy Value of $34,000 multiplied by the corridor
percentage of 215%).
Option 1 is designed to provide a specific amount of Death Benefit that does not
vary with changes in the Policy Value. Therefore, under Option 1, as your Policy
Value increases, the net amount at risk under your Policy will decrease. Under
Option 2, on the other hand, the amount of the Death Benefit generally increases
to reflect increases in the Policy Value. Therefore, if you select Option 2,
your Policy generally will involve a constant net amount at risk. Since the cost
of insurance charge on your Policy is based upon the net amount at risk, the
cost of insurance charge will generally be less under a Policy with an Option 1
Death Benefit than under a similar Policy with an Option 2 Death Benefit. As a
result, if the Subaccounts you select experience favorable investment results,
your Policy Value will tend to increase faster under Option 1 than under Option
2, but the total Death Benefit under Option 2 will increase or decrease directly
with changes in Policy Value. Thus, you may prefer Option 1 if you are more
interested in the possibility of increasing your Policy Value based upon
favorable investment experience, while you may prefer Option 2 if you are
seeking to increase total Death Benefits.
You may change the Death Benefit option by writing to us at the address given on
the first page of this Prospectus. If you ask to change from Option 2 to Option
1, we will increase the Face Amount of your Policy by the amount of the Policy
Value. If you ask to change from Option 1 to Option 2, we will decrease the Face
Amount of your Policy by the amount of the Policy Value. The change will take
effect on the Monthly Deduction Day on or immediately following the date we
receive your written request.
We do not currently require you to prove insurability for a change in Death
Benefit options. We will not permit you to change the Death Benefit option under
your Policy if afterward the Face Amount remaining in force would be less than
$50,000.
CHANGE IN FACE AMOUNT. You may change the Face Amount after the first Policy
Year. You may request the change by writing to us at the address shown on the
first page of this Prospectus. You should be aware that a change in the Face
Amount will change the net amount at risk and, therefore, the cost of insurance
charges on your Policy. The change will take effect on the Monthly Deduction Day
after we approve the request.
If you request a decrease in Face Amount, we will first apply it to coverage
provided by the most recent increase in Face Amount, then to the next most
recent increase successively and finally to the coverage under the original
application. We will not permit a decrease in the Face Amount of your Policy if
afterward the Face Amount remaining in force would be
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less than $50,000. A decrease in the Face Amount will not affect the Safety Net
Premium.
To apply for an increase in the Face Amount, you must submit to us a
supplemental application, accompanied by satisfactory evidence that the Insured
is insurable. We will not permit any increase in Face Amount after the Insured's
80th birthday. The minimum amount of a Face Amount increase is $10,000. You may
not increase the Face Amount of your Policy more often than once every twelve
months.
You should be aware that an increase in the Face Amount of your Policy will
affect the cost of insurance charges applicable to your Policy. As noted above,
we will deduct a larger amount of cost of insurance charges, because an increase
in the Face Amount also will increase the net amount at risk under your Policy.
We will not approve a request for a Face Amount increase if the Net Surrender
Value is too small to pay the Monthly Deduction for the Policy Month following
the increase. As described in "Surrender Charge" on page 25 of this Prospectus,
if you increase the Face Amount of your Policy, your maximum surrender charge
also will increase. Finally, increases in the Face Amount of your Policy will
also increase the Safety Net Premium amount.
OPTIONAL INSURANCE BENEFITS. You may ask to add one or more riders to your
Policy to provide additional optional insurance benefits. We will require
evidence of insurability before we issue a rider to you. We will deduct the cost
of any riders as part of the Monthly Deduction. The riders we currently offer
are described below. In our discretion we may offer additional riders or stop
offering a rider.
CHILDREN'S LEVEL TERM RIDER: This rider provides for level term insurance on the
Insured's children, as defined in the rider. We will provide coverage until the
earlier of the child's 25th birthday or the Insured's age 65. We will pay the
death benefit to the person designated by you. If the Insured dies while the
rider is in effect, we will convert the coverage on each child to paid-up term
insurance that will remain in force until the child reaches age 25. The rider
may be exchanged for a new Policy on the earlier of each child's 25th birthday,
or the Insured's age 65. We will not require evidence of insurability to
exchange the rider.
ACCIDENTAL DEATH BENEFIT: Under this rider, we will provide additional insurance
if the Insured dies from accidental bodily injury as defined in the rider. This
rider ends when one of the following occurs: (1) the Policy terminates; (2) the
next Policy Anniversary after the Insured's 70th birthday; or (3) you ask to end
the rider.
CONTINUATION OF PREMIUM: Under this rider, we will contribute a monthly amount
to the Policy Value if the Insured becomes totally disabled as defined in the
rider. This rider ends when one of the following occurs: (1) the Policy
terminates; (2) the Insured reaches age 60; or (3) you ask to end the rider.
ADDITIONAL INSURED RIDER: This rider provides life insurance coverage on an
additional Insured. We will pay the Face Amount of the rider to the named
Beneficiary when we receive due proof that the additional Insured died while the
rider was in force. You may renew the coverage until the additional Insured
reaches age 99. Until the additional Insured's 75th birthday, you may exchange
the rider for a new Policy on the additional Insured's life, subject to certain
conditions as defined in the rider. We will not require evidence of insurability
to exchange the rider.
PRIMARY INSURED RIDER: This rider provides additional term life insurance
coverage on the primary Insured. You may renew this coverage until you reach age
99. Until you reach age 75, you may exchange the rider for a new Policy. In
addition, after the fifth Policy Year and until you reach age 75, you may
convert the rider to the base Policy. We will not require evidence of
insurability to exchange or convert the Policy.
If your Policy was issued in connection with a Qualified Plan, we may not be
able to offer you some of the benefits provided by these riders.
POLICY LOANS. While the Policy is in force, you may borrow money from us using
the Policy as the only security for your loan. Loans have priority over the
claims of any assignee or any other person. The maximum amount available for a
loan is 90% of the Surrender Value of your Policy at the end of the Valuation
Period in which we receive your loan request. Other restrictions may apply if
your Policy was issued in connection with a Qualified Plan. In addition, if you
have named an irrevocable Beneficiary, you must also obtain his or her written
consent before we make a Policy loan to you.
We will ordinarily disburse your loan to you within seven days after we receive
your loan request at our home office. We may, however, postpone payment in the
circumstances described in "Postponement of Payments" on page 22. While the
Policy remains in force, you may repay the loan in whole or in part without any
penalty at any time while the Insured is living.
When we make a Policy loan to you, we will transfer to the Loan Account a
portion of the Policy Value equal to the loan amount. We will also transfer in
this manner Policy Value equal to any due and unpaid loan interest. We will
usually take the transfers from the Subaccounts and the Fixed Account pro rata
based upon the balances of each Subaccount and the Fixed Account. However, we
will not withdraw amounts from the Fixed Account equaling more than the total
loan multiplied by the ratio of the Fixed Account to the Policy Value
immediately preceding the loan. The amounts allocated to the Loan Account will
be credited with interest at the Loan Credited Rate stated in your Policy.
You may borrow an amount equal to your Policy Value, less all Premiums paid, as
a Preferred Loan. The interest rate charged for Preferred Loans is 4.0% per
year. We will treat
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any other loan as a Standard Loan. The interest rate on
Standard Loans is 6.0% per year.
Interest on Policy loans accrues daily and is due at the end of each Policy
Year. If you do not pay the interest on a Policy loan when due, the unpaid
interest will become part of the Policy loan and will accrue interest at the
same rate. In addition, we will transfer the difference between the value of the
Loan Account and the Policy Debt on a pro-rata basis from the Subaccounts and
the Fixed Account to the Loan Account.
If you have a loan with another insurance company, and you are terminating that
policy to buy one from us, usually you would repay the old loan during the
process of surrendering the old policy. Income taxes on the interest earned may
be due. We permit you to carry this old loan over to your new Policy through a
Tax Code Section 1035 tax-free exchange, up to certain limits. The use of a
Section 1035 tax-free exchange may avoid any income tax liability that would be
due if the old loan was extinguished.
If you transfer a Policy loan from another insurer as part of Section 1035
tax-free exchange, we will treat a loan of up to 20% of your Policy Value as a
Preferred Loan. If the amount due is more than 20% of your Policy Value, we will
treat the excess as a Standard Loan. The treatment of transferred Policy loans
is illustrated in the following example:
Transferred Policy Value $ 190,000
Transferred Policy Loan 40,000
--------
Surrender Value $ 150,000
20% of Policy Value $ 38,000
Preferred Loan $ 38,000
Standard Loan $ 2,000
If the total outstanding loan(s) and loan interest exceeds the surrender value
of your Policy, we will notify you and any assignee in writing. To keep the
Policy in force, we will require you to pay a Premium sufficient to keep the
Policy in force for at least three more months. If you do not pay us sufficient
Premium within the 61-day Grace Period, your Policy will lapse and terminate
without value. As explained in the section entitled "Lapse and Reinstatement" on
page 21, however, you may subsequently reinstate the Policy. Before we will
permit you to reinstate the Policy, we will require either repayment or
reimbursement of any Policy Debt that was outstanding at the end of the Grace
Period. If your Policy lapses while a Policy loan is outstanding, you may owe
taxes or suffer other adverse tax consequences. Please consult a tax adviser for
details.
All or any part of any Policy loan may be repaid while the Policy is still in
effect. If you have a Policy loan outstanding, we will assume that any payment
we receive from you is to be applied as Premium to your Policy Value, unless you
tell us to treat your payment as a loan repayment. If you designate a payment as
a loan repayment or interest payments, your payment will be allocated among the
Subaccounts and the Fixed Account using the same percentages used to allocate
Net Premiums. An amount equal to the payment will be deducted from the Loan
Account.
A Policy loan, whether or not repaid, will have a permanent effect on the Policy
Value because the investment results of each Subaccount and the Fixed Account
will apply only to the amount remaining in that account. The longer a loan is
outstanding, the greater the effect is likely to be. The effect could be
favorable or unfavorable. If the Subaccounts and/or Fixed Account earn more than
the annual interest rate for amounts held in the Loan Account, your Policy Value
will not increase as rapidly as it would if you had not taken a Policy loan. If
the Subaccounts and/or Fixed Account earn less than that rate, then your Policy
Value will be greater than it would have been if you had not taken a Policy
loan. Also, if your do not repay a Policy loan, total outstanding Policy Debt
will be subtracted from the Death Benefit and Surrender Value otherwise payable.
AMOUNT PAYABLE ON SURRENDER OF THE POLICY. While your Policy is in force, you
may fully surrender your Policy. Upon surrender, we will pay you the Net
Surrender Value determined as of the day we receive your written request. Your
Policy will terminate on the day we receive your written request, or the date
requested by you, whichever is later. We may require that you give us your
Policy document before we pay you the surrender proceeds.
The Net Surrender Value equals the Policy Value, minus any applicable surrender
charge, minus any Policy Debt. We will determine the Net Surrender Value as of
the end of the Valuation Period during which we received your request for
surrender. We will pay you the Net Surrender Value of the Policy within seven
days of our receiving your complete written request or on the effective
surrender date you have requested, whichever is later.
You may receive the surrender proceeds in a lump sum or under any of the
settlement options described in "Settlement Options" on page 21.
The tax consequences of surrendering the Policy are discussed in "Tax Matters,"
beginning on page 27.
PARTIAL WITHDRAWALS. While the Policy is in force after the first Policy Year,
you may receive a portion of the Net Surrender Value by making a partial
withdrawal from your Policy. You must request the partial withdrawal in writing.
Your request will be effective on the date received. Before we pay any partial
withdrawal, you must provide us with a completed withholding form.
The minimum partial withdrawal amount is $500. We will subtract the partial
withdrawal service fee of $10 from your withdrawal proceeds. You may not make a
partial withdrawal that would reduce the Net Surrender Value to less than $500.
You may specify how much of your partial withdrawal you wish taken from each
Subaccount or from the Fixed
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<PAGE>
Account. You may not, however, withdraw from the Fixed Account more than the
total withdrawal amount times the ratio of the Fixed Account to your total
Policy Value immediately prior to the withdrawal.
If you have selected Death Benefit Option 1, a partial withdrawal will reduce
the Face Amount of your Policy as well as the Policy Value. We will reduce the
Face Amount by the amount of the partial withdrawal. The Face Amount after a
partial withdrawal may not be less than $50,000. If you have previously
increased the Face Amount of your Policy, your partial withdrawals will first
reduce the Face Amount of the most recent increase, then the most recent
increases successively, then the coverage under the original Policy.
Under Option 2, a reduction in Policy Value as a result of a partial withdrawal
will typically result in a dollar for dollar reduction in the life insurance
proceeds payable under the Policy.
The tax consequences of partial withdrawals are discussed in "Tax Matters"
beginning page 27.
SETTLEMENT OPTIONS. We will pay the surrender proceeds or Death Benefit proceeds
under the Policy in a lump sum or under one of the settlement options that we
then offer. You may request a settlement option by notifying us in writing at
the address given on the first page of this Prospectus. We will transfer to our
Fixed Account any amount placed under a settlement option and it will not be
affected by the investment performance of the Separate Account.
You may request that the proceeds of the Policy be paid under a settlement
option by submitting a request to us in writing before the death of the Insured.
If at the time of the Insured's death no settlement option is in effect, the
Beneficiary may choose a settlement option not more than 12 months after the
Death Benefit is payable and before it is paid. If you change the Beneficiary,
the existing choice of settlement option will become invalid and you may either
notify us that you wish to continue the pre-existing choice of settlement option
or select a new one.
The amount applied to a settlement option must include at least $5,000 of Policy
Value and result in installment payments of not less than $50. We will not
permit surrenders or partial withdrawals after payments under a settlement
option commence.
We currently offer the five settlement options described below:
OPTION a - INTEREST. We will hold the proceeds, credit interest to them, and pay
out the funds when the person entitled to them requests.
OPTION b - FIXED PAYMENTS. We will pay a selected monthly income until the
proceeds, and any interest credits, are exhausted.
OPTION c - LIFE INCOME - GUARANTEED PERIOD CERTAIN. We will pay the proceeds in
a monthly income for as long as the payee lives. You may also select a guarantee
period of between five and twenty years. If a guarantee period is selected, we
will make monthly payments at least until the payee dies. If the payee dies
before the end of the guarantee period, we will continue payments to a successor
payee until the end of the guarantee period. If no guarantee period is selected
or if the payee dies after the end of the guarantee period, we will stop
payments when the payee dies. It is possible for the payee to receive only one
payment under this option, if the payee dies before the second payment is due
and you did not choose a guarantee period.
OPTION d - JOINT AND SURVIVOR. We will pay the proceeds in a monthly income to
two payees for as long as either payee is alive. Payments will stop when both
payees have died. It is possible for the payees to receive only one payment, if
both payees die before the second payment is due.
OPTION e - PERIOD CERTAIN. We will pay the proceeds in monthly installments for
a specified number of years, from five to twenty-five years. If the payee dies
before the end of the specified period, we will pay the remaining guaranteed
payments to a successor payee.
In addition, we may agree to other settlement option plans. Write or call us to
obtain information about them.
When the proceeds are payable, we will inform you concerning the rate of
interest we will credit to funds left with us. We guarantee that the rate of
interest will be at least 3.5%. We may pay interest in excess of the guaranteed
rate.
MATURITY. The Policies have no maturity date. Your Policy will continue as long
as Net Surrender Value is sufficient to cover Monthly Deductions.
LAPSE AND REINSTATEMENT. If the Net Surrender Value is less than the Monthly
Deduction due on a Monthly Deduction Day and the Safety Net Premium feature is
not in effect, your Policy may lapse. You will be given a 61-day Grace Period in
which to pay enough additional Premium to keep the Policy in force after the end
of the Grace Period.
At least 30 days before the end of the Grace Period, we will send you a notice
telling you that you must pay the amount shown in the notice by the end of the
Grace Period to prevent your Policy from terminating. The amount shown in the
notice will be sufficient to cover the Monthly Deduction(s) due and unpaid. You
may pay additional Premium if you wish.
The Policy will continue in effect through the Grace Period. If the Insured dies
during the Grace Period, we will pay a Death Benefit in accordance with your
instructions. However, we will reduce the proceeds by an amount equal to Monthly
Deduction(s) due and unpaid. See "Death Benefit," on page 27. If you do not pay
us the amount shown in the notice before the end of the Grace Period, your
Policy will end at the end of the Grace Period.
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<PAGE>
If the Policy lapses, you may apply for reinstatement of the Policy by paying us
the reinstatement Premium and any applicable charges required under the Policy.
You must request reinstatement within five years of the date the Policy entered
a Grace Period. The reinstatement Premium is equal to an amount sufficient to
(1) cover all unpaid Monthly Deductions for the Grace Period, and (2) keep your
Policy in force for three months. If a Policy loan was outstanding at the time
of lapse, you must either repay or reinstate the loan before we will reinstate
your Policy. In addition, we may require you to provide evidence of insurability
satisfactory to us. The Face Amount upon reinstatement cannot exceed the Face
Amount of your Policy at its lapse. The Policy Value on the reinstatement date
will reflect the Policy Value at the time of termination of the Policy plus the
Premium paid at the time of reinstatement. All Policy charges will continue to
be based on your original Issue Date.
CANCELLATION AND EXCHANGE RIGHTS. You may cancel your Policy by returning it to
us within ten days after you receive it, or after whatever longer period may be
permitted by state law. If you return your Policy, the Policy terminates and, in
most states, we will pay you an amount equal to your Policy Value on the date we
receive the Policy from you, plus any charges previously deducted. Your Policy
Value usually will reflect the investment experience of the Subaccounts and the
Fixed Account as you have allocated your Net Premium. In some states, however,
we are required to send you the amount of your Premiums. In those states,
currently we allocate any Premium received before the end of the free-look
period as described in "Allocation of Premium" on page 15 above. In the future,
however, if you live in one of those states, we reserve the right to delay
allocating your Premiums to the Subaccounts you have selected or to the Fixed
Account until 20 days after the Issue Date or, if your state's free look period
is longer than ten days, for ten days plus the period required by state law. We
will allocate Premiums received during that time to the Fidelity Money market
Sub-Account. Since state laws differ as to the consequences of returning a
Policy, you should refer to your Policy for specific information about your
circumstances.
In addition, during the first two Policy Years or the first two years after an
increase in the Face Amount, if the Policy is in force you may amend the Policy
to convert it into a non-variable universal life insurance policy. We will
accomplish this by transferring all of your Policy Value to the Fixed Account
and ending your right under the Policy to allocate Policy Value to the
Subaccounts. We will not require evidence of insurability. We will not charge
you to perform this amendment.
The net amount at risk (I.E., the difference between the Death Benefit and the
Policy Value) under the amended policy will be equal to or less than the net
amount at risk under the previous coverage. Premiums and charges under the
amended policy will be based on the same risk classification as the previous
coverage.
POSTPONEMENT OF PAYMENTS. We may defer for up to fifteen days the payment of any
amount attributable to a Premium paid by check to allow the check a reasonable
time to clear. We may postpone paying any amount for a total surrender or a
partial withdrawal, the disbursement of a Policy loan, or the payment of the
Death Benefit Proceeds, in the following circumstances:
(1) whenever the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") is closed (other than
customary weekend and holiday closings);
(2) when trading on the NYSE is restricted or an emergency exists, as
determined by the SEC, so that disposal of the Separate Account's
investments or determination of the value of its net assets is not
reasonable practicable; or
(3) at any other time permitted by the SEC for your protection.
In addition, we may delay payment of the Surrender Value in the Fixed Account
for up to six months or a shorter period if required by law. If we defer payment
for more than 30 days we will add interest at our current rate from the time you
asked for the Surrender Value.
DEDUCTIONS AND CHARGES
PREMIUM TAX CHARGE AND PREMIUM EXPENSE CHARGE. Before we allocate a Premium to
the Policy Value, we will subtract the premium tax charge and the premium
expense charge.
The premium tax charge will equal 2.5% of your Premiums. This charge is intended
to help us pay state premium taxes and other related state and local taxes.
State premium tax rates currently range up to 4.0%. Accordingly, the 2.5%
deducted from your Premium may be more or less than the taxes assessed in your
state. We will subtract this charge from amounts transferred from other policies
issued by other insurers or by us, if state law imposes a premium tax on
transferred amounts.
The premium expense charge will be 3.5% of each Premium for the first ten Policy
Years and 1.5% of each Premium thereafter. 2.0% of the 3.5% charge during the
first ten Policy Years is intended to help compensate us for our actual sales
expenses, which include agents' sales commissions and other sales and
distribution expenses. The remainder of this charge is intended to help
compensate us for certain Federal taxes and other expenses related to the
receipt of Premiums.
MONTHLY DEDUCTION. On each Monthly Deduction Day, we will deduct from your
Policy Value a Monthly Deduction to cover certain charges and expenses in
connection with the Policy. The Monthly Deduction is intended to compensate us
for expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of a Policy, the cost of
life insurance, the cost of any optional insurance benefits and certain
administrative expenses. The administrative expenses include salaries, postage,
telephone, office equipment and periodic reports.
The Monthly Deduction is the sum of the following four items:
(1) the policy fee;
(2) the mortality and expense risk
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charge;
(3) the cost of insurance charge for your Policy; and
(4) the cost of any benefit rider.
We will allocate the mortality and expense risk charge pro rata among the
Subaccounts in proportion to the amount of your Policy Value in each Subaccount.
We will allocate the remainder of the Monthly Deduction pro rata among the
Subaccounts and the Fixed Account.
POLICY FEE: The monthly policy fee will be $7.50 per month. This charge
compensates us for administrative expenses such as salaries, postage, telephone,
office equipment and periodic reports.
MORTALITY AND EXPENSE RISK CHARGE: For the first fourteen Policy Years, the
monthly mortality and expense risk charge will be calculated at an annual rate
equivalent to 0.72% of the net Policy Value allocated to the Subaccounts.
Thereafter, we intend to charge an annual rate of 0.36%, and we guarantee that
we will not charge more than 0.48%. The mortality and expense risk charge is not
assessed against your Policy Value in the Fixed Account. This charge compensates
us for the mortality and expense risks that we assume in relation to the
Policies. The mortality risk assumed includes the risk that the cost of
insurance charges specified in the Policy will be insufficient to meet claims.
We also assume a risk that, on the Monthly Deduction Day preceding the death of
an Insured, the Death Benefit will exceed the amount on which the cost of
insurance charges were based. The expense risk assumed is that expenses incurred
in issuing and administering the Policies will exceed the administrative charges
set in the Policy.
COST OF INSURANCE CHARGE: The cost of insurance is determined monthly. The cost
of insurance charge is determined by multiplying the applicable current cost of
insurance rate per $1,000 by the net amount risk for each Policy Month. The net
amount at risk is (a) - (b), where: (a) is the Death Benefit as of the prior
Monthly Deduction Day divided by 1.0032737; and (b) is the Policy Value as of
the prior Monthly Deduction Day.
EXAMPLE:
Face Amount $ 100,000
Death Benefit Option 1
Policy Value on the Prior Monthly Deduction Day $ 30,000
Insured's Attained Age 45
Corridor Percentage 215%
Death Benefit $ 100,000
On the Monthly Deduction Day in this example, the Death Benefit as then computed
would be $100,000, because the Face Amount ($100,000) is greater than the Policy
Value multiplied by the applicable corridor percentage ($30,000 x 215% =
$64,500). Since the Policy Value on that date is $30,000, the cost of insurance
charges per $1000 are applied to the difference in the net amount at risk of
$69,674 (($100,000/1.0032737) - $30,000).
Assume that the Policy Value in the above example was $50,000. The Death Benefit
would then be $107,500 (215% x $50,000), since this is greater than the Face
Amount ($100,000). The cost of insurance rates in this case would be applied to
the net amount at risk of $57,149 (($107,500/1.0032737) - $50,000).
Because the Policy Value and, as a result, the amount for which we are at risk
under your Policy may vary monthly, your cost of insurance charge probably will
be different each month.
We determine the cost of insurance charge separately for the initial Face Amount
and each subsequent increase. The cost of insurance charge covers our
anticipated mortality costs for standard and substandard risks. We determine the
current cost of insurance rates, but we guarantee that we will never charge you
a cost of insurance rate higher than the guaranteed cost of insurance rates
shown in the Policy. We base the cost of insurance rate on the sex, issue age,
Policy Year, and premium rating class of the Insured. However, we issue unisex
policies in Montana and in connection with Qualified Plans. Although we will
base the current cost of insurance rate on our expectations as to future
mortality experience, that rate will never exceed a maximum cost of insurance
rate based on the 1980 Commissioners Standard Ordinary ("1980 CSO") Smoker and
Non-Smoker Mortality Table based on the Insured's sex and age last birthday. Our
cost of insurance rates for unisex Policies will never exceed a maximum based on
the 1980 CSO Table B assuming a blend of 80% male and 20% female lives.
If we ever charge you a cost of insurance rate during the first five Policy
Years that is greater than the rate provided by the rate scale in effect on the
Issue Date we will notify you. For 60 days after we mail that notice, you may
surrender your Policy without paying any surrender charge.
On the Policy Anniversary following the Insured's 100th birthday, we will waive
all cost of insurance charges and monthly policy fees.
DEDUCTION FOR SEPARATE ACCOUNT INCOME TAXES. We are not currently maintaining a
provision for taxes. In the future, however, we may establish a provision for
taxes if we determine, in our sole discretion, that we will incur a tax as a
result of the operation of the Separate Account. We will deduct for any taxes we
incur as a result of the operation of the Separate Account, whether or not we
previously made a provision for taxes and whether or not it was sufficient. Our
status under the Tax Code is briefly described on page 27 below.
PORTFOLIO EXPENSES. You indirectly bear the charges and expenses of the
Portfolios whose shares are held by the Subaccounts to which you allocate your
Policy Value. The table below contains a summary of current estimates of those
charges and expenses. For more detailed information about those charges and
expenses, please refer to the Prospectuses for the appropriate Portfolios. We
may receive compensation from the investment advisers or administrators of the
Portfolios in connection with administrative service and cost savings
experienced by the investment advisers or administrators.
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PORTFOLIO COMPANY ANNUAL EXPENSES
(AS A PERCENTAGE OF PORTFOLIO AVERAGE NET ASSETS)
MANAGEMENT FEE OTHER EXPENSES TOTAL
JANUS ASPEN SERIES ------------------ ------------------ ------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Flexible Income 0.65% 0.08% 0.73%
Balanced 0.72% 0.02% 0.74%
Growth (1) (after fee waivers or 0.65% 0.03% 0.68%
reductions)
Aggressive Growth 0.72% 0.03% 0.75%
Worldwide Growth (1) (after fee waivers or 0.65% 0.07% 0.72%
reductions)
FEDERATED INSURANCE MANAGEMENT SERIES
Utility II (2) (after fee waiver or 0.68% 0.25% 0.93%
expense reimbursement)
U.S. Government Securities 0.52% 0.33% 0.85%
II (2) (after fee waiver or expense reimbursement)
High Income Bond II 0.60% 0.18% 0.78%
FIDELITY VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS FUND
Money Market 0.20% 0.10% 0.30%
Equity-Income (3) 0.49% 0.09% 0.58%
Growth (3) 0.59% 0.09% 0.68%
Overseas (3) 0.74% 0.17% 0.91%
FIDELITY VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS FUND II
Asset Manager (3) 0.54% 0.10% 0.64%
Contrafund (3) 0.59% 0.11% 0.70%
Index 500 0.24% 0.11% 0.35%
THE ALGER AMERICAN FUND
Income and Growth 0.625% 0.075% 0.70%
Small Capitalization 0.85% 0.04% 0.89%
Growth 0.75% 0.04% 0.79%
Midcap Growth 0.80% 0.04% 0.84%
Leveraged Allcap (4) 0.85% 0.11% 0.96%
SCUDDER VARIABLE LIFE INVESTMENT FUND
Bond 0.47% 0.09% 0.56%
Balanced 0.47% 0.08% 0.55%
Growth and Income 0.47% 0.09% 0.56%
Global Discovery 0.97% 0.81% 1.78%
International 0.87% 0.18% 1.05%
STRONG VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS, INC.
Discovery II 1.00% 0.18% 1.18%
Growth II 1.00% 0.20% 1.20%
STRONG OPPORTUNITY FUND II, INC.
Opportunity II 1.00% 0.16% 1.16%
T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL SERIES, INC.
T. Rowe Price 1.05% 0.00% 1.05%
International Stock
T. ROWE PRICE EQUITY SERIES, INC.
T. Rowe Price New America Growth 0.85% 0.00% 0.85%
T. Rowe Price Mid-Cap Growth 0.85% 0.00% 0.85%
T. Rowe Price Equity Income 0.85% 0.00% 0.85%
MFS VARIABLE INSURANCE TRUST (5)
Growth with Income 0.75% 0.13% 0.88%
Research 0.75% 0.11% 0.86%
Emerging Growth 0.75% 0.10% 0.85%
Total Return (6) 0.75% 0.16% 0.91%
New Discovery (6) 0.90% 0.27% 1.17%
</TABLE>
- ------------------------
(1) Other expenses are based on the gross expenses of the Portfolios before
expense offset arrangements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998.
The information for Growth and Worldwide Growth is net of fee reductions
from Janus Capital. Without such reductions, the Management Fee, Other
Expenses and Total Operating Expenses for the Portfolios would have been
0.72%, 0.03% and 0.75% for Growth Portfolio; and 0.67%, 0.07%, and 0.74%
for Worldwide Growth Portfolio, respectively. Janus Capital has agreed to
continue these reductions until at least the next annual renewal of the
advisory agreement.
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(2) The expense figures shown reflect the voluntary waiver of all or a portion
of the Management Fee. The maximum Management Fees for the indicated
Portfolios and the Total Portfolio Expenses absent the voluntary waiver
are as follows: 0.75% and 1.00%, respectively, for the Utility Fund II;
and 0.60% and 0.93%, respectively, for the U.S. Government Securities II.
(3) A portion of the brokerage commissions the Portfolio paid was used to
reduce its expenses. Including this reduction, total operating expenses
would have been for Equity Income -- 0.57%, for Growth -- 0.66%, for
Overseas -- 0.89%, for Asset Manager -- 0.63%, and for Contrafund --
0.66%.
(4) Included in the Other Expenses of this Portfolio is 0.03% of interest
expense.
(5) Each Portfolio has an expense offset arrangement which reduces the
Portfolio's custodian fee based upon the amount of cash maintained by the
Portfolio with its custodian and dividend disbursing agent, and may enter
into other such arrangements and directed brokerage arrangements (which
would also have the effect of reducing the Portfolio's expenses). Any such
fee reductions are not reflected under "Other Expenses".
(6) The Adviser has agreed to bear expenses for these Portfolios, subject to
reimbursement by these Portfolios, such that each such Portfolio's "Other
Expenses" (except for Emerging Growth, Research, and Growth with Income)
shall not exceed 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Portfolio
during the current fiscal year. Otherwise, "Other Expenses" and "Total
Expenses" for New Discovery (estimate) would be Other Expenses 4.32% and
Total Expenses 5.22%.
SURRENDER CHARGE. If you surrender your Policy, we may subtract a surrender
charge from the surrender proceeds. The surrender charge equals the amount shown
in the surrender charge table in your Policy, plus any additional surrender
charge due to increases in the Face Amount of your Policy. The amount of the
surrender charge decreases over time.
INITIAL SURRENDER CHARGE. When we issue your Policy, we determine the initial
surrender charge. To determine the initial surrender charge, we multiply the
Initial Face Amount of your Policy by a rate per thousand dollars of Face
Amount. The applicable rate depends on the Insured's age at issue, sex, and
status as a smoker or non-smoker. For example, if the Insured is age 45 when
your Policy is issued, the applicable rates per thousand are as follows:
Male Non-Smoker $27.51
Male Smoker $32.85
Female Non-Smoker $22.80
Female Smoker $25.55
Unisex Non-Smoker $26.56
Unisex Smoker $31.40
Accordingly, if the Insured were a male non-smoker age 45 and the Policy's Face
Amount was $100,000, the surrender charge initially would be $2,751.
The rates for each category are greater or lesser according to the age of the
Insured when your Policy is issued. The maximum rates are as follows:
Male Non-Smoker $53.98
Male Smoker $54.11
Female Non-Smoker $53.74
Female Smoker $54.01
Unisex Non-Smoker $53.72
Unisex Smoker $54.01
If you surrender your Policy after fourteen Policy Years have elapsed, we will
not charge a surrender charge (unless you have increased the Face Amount of your
Policy, as explained below). Before that time, we determine the applicable
surrender charge by multiplying the initial surrender charge on your Policy by
the appropriate surrender charge percentage for the Policy Year in which the
surrender occurs. The applicable surrender charge percentage depends on the
Insured's sex, age when your Policy was issued, and the number of years elapsed
since your Policy was issued. For example, the following surrender charge
percentage rates would apply if the Insured were 45 years old when your Policy
was issued:
MALE - FEMALE - UNISEX -
POLICY YEAR AGE 45 AGE 45 AGE 45
1 100% 100% 100%
2 100% 100% 100%
3 100% 100% 100%
4 100% 100% 100%
5 100% 100% 100%
6 91% 91% 91%
7 82% 82% 82%
8 73% 73% 73%
9 64% 64% 64%
10 55% 55% 55%
11 46% 46% 46%
12 37% 37% 37%
13 28% 28% 28%
14 18% 18% 18%
15 0% 0% 0%
Thus, in the example given above, if the Policy were surrendered during the 10th
Policy Year, the surrender charge would equal $1,513.05 ($2,751 X 55%). A
different surrender charge percentage rate might apply if the Insured is older
than 45 when the Policy is issued.
SURRENDER CHARGE ON INCREASES IN INITIAL FACE AMOUNT. If you increase the
Initial Face Amount of your Policy, we will determine an additional surrender
charge amount applicable to the amount of the increase. We determine the initial
amount of the additional surrender charge using the same formula and rates used
in determining the initial surrender
25
<PAGE>
charge, except that we use the Insured's age and smoking status at the time of
the increase, rather than at the time your Policy was issued.
The surrender charge on the increase also decreases over a fourteen Policy Year
period, starting from the effective date of the increase. The schedule of
surrender charge percentages applicable to the additional surrender charge is
based on the Insured's age at the time of the increase. If you surrender your
Policy or make a partial withdrawal, we separately calculate the surrender
charge applicable to the Initial Face amount and each increase and add those
amounts to determine the total surrender charge.
If you decrease the Face Amount, the applicable surrender charge remains the
same.
We will include in your Policy a table showing the surrender charge rates and
the surrender charge percentages applicable under the Policies. For additional
information concerning the rates applicable to you, please consult your agent.
In addition, a table of the applicable rates is on file with the SEC as an
exhibit to the registration statement for this product.
The premium expense charge and the surrender charge are imposed to cover our
actual sales expenses, which include agents' sales commissions and other sales
and distribution expenses. We expect to recover total sales expenses of the
Policies over the life of the Policies. However, the premium expense charge and
surrender charge paid with respect to a particular Policy may be higher or lower
than the distribution expenses we incurred in connection with that Policy. To
the extent distribution costs are not recovered by these charges, we may make up
any shortfall from the assets of our general account, which includes funds
derived from the mortality and expense charge on the Separate Account assets.
We will not subtract any portion of the then applicable surrender charge from a
partial withdrawal. We will, however, subtract a partial withdrawal service fee
of $10 from the amount withdrawn, to cover our expenses relating to the partial
withdrawal.
We will not assess a surrender charge on surrenders under Policies issued to
employees of Lincoln Benefit or its affiliates or issued to spouses or minor
children of those employees.
TRANSFER FEE. We currently are not charging a transfer fee. The Policy, however,
permits us to charge a transfer fee of $10 on the second and each subsequent
transaction in each calendar month in which transfer(s) are effected between
Subaccount(s) and/or the Fixed Account. We will notify you if we begin to charge
this fee.
The transfer fee will be deducted from the Policy Value that remains in the
Subaccount(s) or Fixed Account from which the transfer was made. If that amount
is insufficient to pay the transfer fee, we will deduct the fee from the
transferred amount.
GENERAL POLICY PROVISIONS
STATEMENTS TO POLICY OWNERS. We will maintain all records relating to the
Separate Account and the Subaccounts. Each year we will send you a report
showing information concerning your Policy transactions in the past year and the
current status of your Policy. The report will include information such as the
Policy Value as of the end of the current and the prior year, the current Death
Benefit, Surrender Value, Policy Debt, partial withdrawals, earnings, Premiums
paid, and deductions made since the last annual report. We will also include any
information required by state law or regulation. If you ask us, we will send you
an additional report at any time. We may charge you up to $25 for this extra
report. We will tell you the current charge before we send you the report.
In addition, we will send you the reports required by the 1940 Act. We will mail
you confirmation notices or other appropriate notices of Policy transactions
quarterly or more frequently if required by law. You should therefore give us
prompt written notice of any address change. You should read your statements and
confirmations carefully and verify their accuracy. You should contact us
promptly with any questions.
LIMIT ON RIGHT TO CONTEST. We may not contest the insurance coverage under the
Policy after the Policy has been in force for two years while the Insured is
alive. If the Policy has lapsed and been reinstated, we may not contest the
reinstatement after two years from the date of the reinstatement while the
Insured is alive. We may not contest any increase in the Face Amount of the
Policy after the increase has been in effect for two years while the Insured is
alive.
SUICIDE. If the Insured commits suicide while sane or kills him- or herself
while insane within two years of the Issue Date or within two years of any
increase in the Face Amount, we are not required to pay the full Death Benefit
that would otherwise be payable. Instead, we will pay an amount equal to the
Policy Value less any Policy Debt and the Policy will stop. If within two years
of the effective date of any increase in the Face Amount the Insured commits
suicide while sane or kills him- or herself while insane, we will pay a Death
Benefit for the increase equal to the total cost of insurance charges.
MISSTATEMENT AS TO AGE AND SEX. If the age or sex of the Insured is incorrectly
stated in the application, we will adjust the Death Benefit appropriately as
specified in the Policy.
BENEFICIARY. You name the original Beneficiary(ies) and Contingent
Beneficiary(ies) in the application for the Policy. You may change the
Beneficiary or Contingent Beneficiary at any time, except irrevocable
Beneficiaries and Contingent Beneficiaries may not be changed without their
consent.
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You must request a change of Beneficiary in writing. We will provide a form to
be signed and filed with us. Your request for a change in Beneficiary or
Contingent Beneficiary will take effect when we receive it, effective as of the
date you signed the form. Until we receive your change instructions, we are
entitled to rely on your most recent instructions in our files. Accordingly, we
are not liable for making a payment to the person shown in our files as the
Beneficiary or treating that person in any other respect as the Beneficiary,
even if instructions that we subsequently receive from you seek to change your
Beneficiaries effective as of a date before we made the payment or took the
action in question.
If you name more than one Beneficiary, we will divide the Death Benefit among
your Beneficiaries according to your most recent written instructions. If you
have not given us written instructions, we will pay the Death Benefit in equal
shares to the Beneficiaries. If one of the Beneficiaries dies before you, we
will divide the Death Benefit among the surviving Beneficiaries.
Different rules may apply if your Policy was issued in connection with a
Qualified Plan.
ASSIGNMENT. You may assign your Policy as collateral security, unless it was
issued in connection with a Qualified Plan. You must notify us in writing if you
assign the Policy. Until we receive notice from you, we are not liable for any
action we may take or payments we may make that may be contrary to the terms of
your assignment. We are not responsible for the validity of an assignment. Your
rights and the rights of the Beneficiary may be affected by an assignment.
DIVIDENDS. We will not pay any dividend under the Policies.
TAX MATTERS
INTRODUCTION
The following discussion is general and is not intended as tax advice. Lincoln
Benefit makes no guarantee regarding the tax treatment of any Policy or
transaction involving a Policy. Federal, state, local and other tax consequences
of ownership or purchase of a life insurance policy depend upon the your
circumstances. If you are concerned about any tax consequences with regard to
your individual circumstances, you should consult a qualified tax advisor.
TAXATION OF THE COMPANY AND THE SEPARATE ACCOUNT
Lincoln Benefit is taxed as a life insurance company under Part I of Subchapter
L of the Internal Revenue Code. The Separate Account is not an entity separate
from Lincoln Benefit and its operations form a part of Lincoln Benefit. As a
consequence, the Separate Account will not be taxed separately as a "Regulated
Investment Company" under Subchapter M of the Code. Investment income and
realized capital gains are automatically applied to increase reserves under the
Policies. Under current federal tax law, Lincoln Benefit believes that the
Separate Account investment income and realized net capital gains will not be
taxed to the extent that such income and gains are applied to increase the
reserves under the Policies. Generally, reserves are amounts that Lincoln
Benefit is legally required to accumulate and maintain in order to meet future
obligations under the Policies. Lincoln Benefit does not anticipate that it will
incur any federal income tax liability attributable to the Separate Account.
Therefore, we do not intend to make provisions for any such taxes. If we are
taxed on investment income or capital gains of the Separate Account, then we may
impose a charge against the Separate Account in order to make provisions for any
such taxes.
TAXATION OF POLICY BENEFITS
In order to qualify as a life insurance policy for federal income tax purposes,
the Policy must meet the definition of a life insurance policy set forth in
Section 7702 of the Code. Section 7702 limits the amount of premiums that may be
invested in a Policy that qualifies as life insurance. The Policy is structured
to meet the Section 7702 definition of a life insurance policy. This means that
the Death Benefit is excluded from the beneficiary's gross income under Section
101(a) of the Tax Code and you are not taxed on increases in the Policy Value
until a distribution occurs.
If a Policy fails to qualify as life insurance under Section 7702, the Policy
will not provide most of the tax advantages normally provided by life insurance.
Lincoln Benefit has the right to amend the Policies to comply with any future
changes in the Tax Code, any regulations or rulings under the Tax Code and any
other requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Service.
If you surrender the Policy, you are subject to income tax on the portion of the
distribution that exceeds the investment in the contract. The investment in the
contract is the gross premium paid for the Policy minus any amounts previously
received from the Policy if such amounts were properly excluded from your gross
income. Policy loans are generally not treated as taxable distributions.
Interest paid on a Policy loan is generally not deductible. You are generally
taxed on partial withdrawals only to the extent the amount distributed exceeds
the investment in the contract. In certain situations, partial withdrawals or
reduction in benefits during the first fifteen years of the Policy may result in
a taxable distribution before the investment in the contract is recovered.
Withdrawals and loans from modified endowment contracts are subject to less
favorable tax treatment.
If you are Owner and Insured under the Policy, the Death Benefit will be
included in your gross estate for federal estate tax purposes if the proceeds
are payable to your estate. If the beneficiary is not your estate, but you
retain incidents of ownership in the Policy, the Death Benefit will also be
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included in your gross estate. Examples of incidents of ownership include:
- - the right to change beneficiaries,
- - to assign the Policy,
- - to revoke an assignment,
- - to pledge the Policy, or
- - to obtain a Policy loan.
If you are Owner and Insured under the Policy, and you transfer all incidents of
ownership in the Policy, the Death Benefit will be included in your gross estate
if you die within three years from the date of the ownership transfer. State and
local estate and inheritance taxes may also apply. In addition, certain
transfers of the Policy or Death Benefit, either during life or at death, to
individuals two or more generations below the transferor may be subject to the
federal generation skipping transfer tax. This rule also applies if the transfer
is to a trust for the benefit of individuals two or more generations below the
transferor.
The Policy may be used in various arrangements, including nonqualified deferred
compensation or salary continuance plans, split dollar insurance plans,
executive bonus plans, retiree medical benefit plans and others. The tax
consequences of such plans may vary depending on the particular facts and
circumstances of each individual arrangement. If you are contemplating the use
of a Policy in any of these arrangements, you should consult a qualified tax
advisor regarding the tax attributes of the particular arrangement.
MODIFIED ENDOWMENT CONTRACTS
A life insurance policy is treated as a "modified endowment contract" under
Section 7702A of the Tax Code if it meets the definition of life insurance in
Section 7702, but fails the "seven-pay" test of Section 7702A. The seven-pay
test provides that premiums cannot be paid at a rate more rapidly than that
allowed by the payment of seven annual premiums using specified computational
rules provided in Section 7702A. We will not accept any premiums that cause the
Policy to become a modified endowment contract unless we receive from you a
written acknowledgment that the Policy will become a modified endowment
contract. An exchange under Section 1035 of the Tax Code of a life insurance
policy that is not a modified endowment contract will not cause the new policy
to be a modified endowment contract if no additional premiums are paid. An
exchange under Section 1035 of the Code of a life insurance policy that is a
modified endowment contract for a new life insurance policy will always cause
the new policy to be a modified endowment contract.
A Policy that is classified as a modified endowment contract is generally
eligible for the beneficial tax treatment accorded to life insurance. The death
benefit is excluded from income and increases in Policy Value are not subject to
current taxation. If you receive any amount as a Policy loan from a modified
endowment contract, or assign or pledge any part of the value of the Policy,
such amount is treated as a distribution. Unlike other life insurance policies,
withdrawals and distributions made before the insured's death are treated as
taxable income first, then as recovery of investment in the contract. The
taxable portion of any distribution from a modified endowment contract is
subject to a 10% penalty tax, except as follows:
- - distributions made on or after the date on which the taxpayer attains age
591/2;
- - distributions attributable to the taxpayer's becoming disabled (within the
meaning of Section 72(m)(7) of the Code);
- - or any distribution that is part of a series of substantially equal
periodic payments (not less frequently than annually) made for the life (or
life expectancy) of the taxpayer or the joint lives (or joint life
expectancies) of such taxpayer and his or her beneficiary.
All modified endowment contracts that are issued within any calendar year to the
same owner by one company or its affiliates shall be treated as one modified
endowment contract in determining the taxable portion of any distributions.
DIVERSIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
For a Policy to qualify as a variable life insurance policy for federal tax
purposes, the investments in the Separate Account must be "adequately
diversified" consistent with standards under Treasury Department regulations. If
the investments in the Separate Account are not adequately diversified, the
Policy will not be treated as a variable life insurance policy for federal
income tax purposes. As a result, you will be taxed on the excess of the Policy
Value over the investment in the contract. Although Lincoln Benefit does not
have control over the Portfolios or their investments, we expect the Portfolios
to meet the diversification requirements.
OWNERSHIP TREATMENT
The IRS has stated that you will be considered the owner of Separate Account
assets if you possess incidents of ownership in those assets, such as the
ability to exercise investment control over the assets. At the time the
diversification regulations were issued, the Treasury Department announced that
the regulations do not provide guidance concerning circumstances in which
investor control of the Separate Account investments may cause an investor to be
treated as the owner of the Separate Account. The Treasury Department also
stated that future guidance would be issued regarding the extent that owners
could direct sub-account investments without being treated as owners of the
underlying assets of the Separate Account.
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Your rights under this Policy are different than those described by the IRS in
rulings in which it found that contract owners were not owners of Separate
Account assets. For example, you have the choice to allocate premiums and Policy
values among more investment options. Also, you may be able to transfer among
investment options more frequently than in such rulings. These differences could
result in you being treated as the owner of the Separate Account. If this
occurs, income and gain from the Separate Account assets would be includible in
your gross income. Lincoln Benefit does not know what standards will be set
forth in any regulations or rulings which the Treasury Department may issue. It
is possible that future standards announced by the Treasury Department could
adversely affect the tax treatment of your contract. We reserve the right to
modify the Policy as necessary to attempt to prevent you from being considered
the federal tax owner of the assets of the Separate Account. However, we make no
guarantee that such modification to the Policy will be successful.
DESCRIPTION OF LINCOLN
BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY AND THE
SEPARATE ACCOUNT
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY. Lincoln Benefit Life Company is a stock life
insurance company organized under the laws of the state of Nebraska in 1938. Our
legal domicile and principal business address is 206 South 13th Street, Lincoln,
Nebraska. Lincoln Benefit is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Allstate Life
Insurance Company ("Allstate Life"), a stock life insurance company incorporated
under the laws of the State of Illinois. Allstate Life is a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Allstate Insurance Company ("Allstate" or "ALIC"), a stock
property-liability insurance company incorporated under the laws of Illinois.
All outstanding capital stock of Allstate is owned by the Allstate Corporation.
We are authorized to conduct life insurance and annuity business in the District
of Columbia, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands and all states except New York. We intend
to market the Policy everywhere we conduct variable life insurance business. The
Policies offered by this Prospectus are issued by us and will be funded in the
Separate Account and/or the Fixed Account.
Through our reinsurance agreement with Allstate Life, substantially all of the
assets backing our reinsured liabilities are owned by Allstate Life. These
assets represent our general account and are invested and managed by Allstate
Life. While the reinsurance agreement provides us with financial backing from
Allstate Life, it does not create a direct contractual relationship between
Allstate Life and you.
Under the Company's reinsurance agreements with ALIC, the Company reinsures all
reserve liabilities with ALIC except for variable contracts. The Company's
variable contract assets and liabilities are held in legally-segregated unitized
Separate Accounts and are retained by the Company. However, the transactions
related to such variable contracts such as premiums, expenses and benefits are
transferred to ALIC.
Lincoln Benefit is highly rated by independent agencies, including A.M. Best,
Moody's, and Standard & Poor's. These ratings are based on our reinsurance
agreement with Allstate Life, and reflect financial soundness and strong
operating performance. The ratings are not intended to reflect the financial
strength or investment experience of the Separate Account. We may from time to
time advertise these ratings in our sales literature.
The Company also acts as the sponsor for one other of its Separate Accounts that
is a registered investment company: Lincoln Benefit Life Variable Annuity
Account. The officers and employees of the Company are covered by a fidelity
bond in the amount of $5,000,000. No person beneficially owns more than 5% of
the outstanding voting stock of The Allstate Corporation, of which the Company
is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary.
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS OF LINCOLN BENEFIT. Our directors and executive
officers are listed below, together with information as to their dates of
election and principal business occupations during the last five years (if other
than their present occupation). The principal business address of each of the
officers and directors listed below is 206 South 13th St., Lincoln, Nebraska
68508
JANET P. ANDERBERY, VICE PRESIDENT AND CONTROLLER, 1994, Associate Vice
President and Controller 5/84-4/94, Lincoln Benefit Life Company; Vice President
and Controller 1/94-present, Surety Life Insurance Company; Vice President &
Controller 1/99-present, Allstate Financial Distributors; Vice President and
Controller 5/93-1/99, Lincoln Benefit Financial Services, Inc.
THOMAS R. ASHLEY, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & MEDICAL DIRECTOR, 1998, Vice President
and Medical Director 10/96-5/98 Lincoln Benefit Life Company; Senior Vice
President & Medical Director 5/98-present, Vice President and Medical Director
1/97-5/98, Surety Life Insurance Company.
THOMAS J. BERNEY, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT 1998, Vice President 1982-1998 Lincoln
Benefit Life Company.
JOHN H. COLEMAN, III, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, DIRECTOR, 1998-present, Vice
President 4/94-5/98, Lincoln Benefit Life Company; Senior Vice President,
Director 5/98-present, Vice President 9/96-5/98, Surety Life Insurance Company;
President 2/93-4/94, Acordia.
MARVIN P. EHLY, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND TREASURER, DIRECTOR, 1999; Vice
President 6/93-12/98, Lincoln Benefit Life Company; Senior Vice President and
Treasurer, Director 1/99-present, Surety Life Insurance Company.
DOUGLAS F. GAER, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT 1997, DIRECTOR, 1981, Senior Vice
President, 4/95-2/97, Senior Vice President and Treasurer 4/94-3/95, Vice
President 3/81-4/94, Lincoln
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Benefit Life Company; Executive Vice President 1/97-present, Senior Vice
President and Treasurer, 1/94-12/96, Director 1/94-present, Surety Life
Insurance Company; Director 5/93-1/99, Lincoln Benefit Financial Services, Inc.
PETER H. HECKMAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 1999, DIRECTOR,
1990, Vice Chairman of the Board 8/96-12/98, Lincoln Benefit Life Company; Vice
President, Director 4/92-present, Glenbrook Life & Annuity Company; Vice
President 11/90-present, Director 9/90-present, Glenbrook Life Insurance
Company; Vice President 6/89-present, Director 7/90-present, Allstate Life
Insurance Company of New York; Vice President 4/89-present, Director
12/88-present, Allstate Life Insurance Company; Vice President, Director
12/88-present, Northbrook Life Insurance Company; Director 5/90-present, Surety
Life Insurance Company; Director 5/91-9/93, Allstate Life Financial Services.
RODGER A. HERGENRADER, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT 1999, Vice President 1995-1998,
Underwriter 1988-1995, Lincoln Benefit Life Company; Senior Vice President
1999-present, Surety Life Insurance Company.
LOUIS G. LOWER, II, DIRECTOR, 1989, Chairman of the Board 5/89-12/98, Lincoln
Benefit Life Company; Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
6/95-present, Chairman of the Board & President, 4/92-6/95, Glenbrook Life &
Annuity Company; Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
12/95-present, Chairman of the Board & President 1/91-12/95, Director
9/90-present, Glenbrook Life Insurance Company; President 1/90-present,
Executive Vice President 1/89-1/90, Senior Vice President & Treasurer
10/86-12/88, Director 10/86-present, Allstate Life Insurance Company; Chairman
of the Board and Chief Executive Officer 6/95-present, Chairman of the Board and
President 4/90-6/95, Chairman of the Board 4/90-7/90, Executive Vice President
1/89-4/90, Senior Vice President and Treasurer 10/86-4/89, Director
4/86-present, Northbrook Life Insurance Company; Chairman of the Board &
President 6/90-present, Vice President & Treasurer 12/86-6/90, Director
12/83-present, Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York; Chairman of the
Board & Chief Executive Officer 3/90-present, Director 5/89-present, Surety Life
Insurance Company; Group Vice President 76-89, Director 10/86-present Allstate
Insurance Company; Director 4/90-present, Allstate Settlement Company; Director
5/91-present, Allstate Life Financial Services.
JOHN J. MORRIS, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT/SECRETARY 1994, DIRECTOR, 1987, Vice
President & Secretary 8/85-4/94, Lincoln Benefit Life Company; Senior Vice
President 9/96-present, Director 6/95-present, Surety Life Insurance Company;
Vice President & Secretary, Director 5/93-1/99, Lincoln Benefit Financial
Services Inc.
ROBERT E. RICH, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT 1996, DIRECTOR, 1987, Senior Vice
President/Chief Actuary and Treasurer, 4/95-5/96; Senior Vice President,
Assistant Secretary 4/94-3/95, Vice President/Assistant Secretary 1/84-5/96,
Lincoln Benefit Life Company; Executive Vice President 5/96-present, Senior Vice
President and Chief Actuary 1/94-5/96, Director 9/93-present, Surety Life
Insurance Company; Director 5/93-1/99, Lincoln Benefit Financial Services, Inc.
KEVIN R. SLAWIN, DIRECTOR, 1996, Lincoln Benefit Life Company; Director and Vice
President-Finance and Planning 1996-present, Allstate Life Insurance Company;
Director 8/96-present, Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York; Director
8/96-present, Laughlin Group Holdings, Inc.; Director 8/96-present, Northbrook
Life Insurance Company; Director 8/96-present, Surety Life Insurance Company;
Director 8/96-present, Glenbrook Life Insurance Company; Assistant Vice
President, Assistant Treasurer 1/95-8/96, Allstate Insurance Company; Assistant
Treasurer and Director 2/94-1/95, Sears Roebuck & Co.; First Vice President and
Treasurer 6/86-2/94, Sears Mortgage Corp.
J. SCOTT TAYLOR, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, 1999, Vice President 9/98-3/99, Director
of Sales Management 1/97-9/98, Lincoln Benefit Life Company; Director of
Marketing Development 1984-1997 Ameritas Life Insurance Corp.
MICHAEL J. VELOTTA, DIRECTOR 1992, Lincoln Benefit Life Company; Vice President,
Secretary & General Counsel 1/93-present, Director 12/92-present, Allstate Life
Insurance Company; Vice President, Secretary & General Counsel 1/93-present,
Director 12/92-present, Glenbrook Life Insurance Company; Vice President,
Secretary & General Counsel 1/93-present, Director 12/92-present, Glenbrook Life
& Annuity Company; Vice President, Secretary & General Counsel 1/93-present,
Director 12/92-present, Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York; Vice
President, Secretary & General Counsel 1/93-present, Director 12/92-present,
Northbrook Life Insurance Company; Assistant Secretary, Director 6/95-present,
Surety Life Insurance Company; Assistant Vice President & Assistant General
Counsel 1989, Allstate Insurance Company.
CAROL S. WATSON, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL COUNSEL AND ASSISTANT SECRETARY
1994, DIRECTOR, 1992, Vice President & General Counsel 7/91-4/94, Lincoln
Benefit Life Company; Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate
Secretary 1/98-present, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Assistant
Secretary, 1/94-12/97, Director 6/95-present, Surety Life Insurance Company;
President, 1996-1/99, Director 5/93-1/99, Vice President and General Counsel
1993-1995, Lincoln Benefit Financial Services, Inc.
DEAN M. WAY, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND ACTUARY, DIRECTOR, 1998, Vice President
and Actuary 5/92-5/98, Lincoln Benefit Life Company; Senior Vice President and
Actuary, Director, 5/98-present, Vice President and Actuary 9/96-5/98, Surety
Life Insurance Company.
THOMAS J. WILSON, II, DIRECTOR, 1999, Lincoln Benefit Life Company; Director
1/99-present, Surety Life Insurance Company; Senior Vice President, Director
6/95-present, Vice
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President 1/95-6/95, Allstate Insurance Company; Senior Vice President, Director
7/96-present, Allstate Holdings, Inc.; President 1/99-present, Director
9/95-present, Allstate Life Insurance Company; President 12/98-present, Director
1/99-present, Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York; Senior Vice President
6/95-present, Director 7/95-present, Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance
Company; Vice President 1/95-1/99, The Allstate Corporation; Vice President
1993-1995, Sears, Roebuck & Company.
PATRICIA W. WILSON, DIRECTOR, 1997, Lincoln Benefit Life Company; Assistant Vice
President/Assistant Secretary/Assistant Treasurer, 7/97-present, Assistant Vice
President 1/93-7/97, Allstate Life Insurance Company; Assistant Vice President
6/91-present, Director 6/97-present, Allstate Life Insurance Company of New
York; Assistant Treasurer 7/97-present, Glenbrook Life Insurance Company;
Assistant Treasurer 7/97-present, Glenbrook Life Annuity Company; Assistant Vice
President/Assistant Secretary/Assistant Treasurer 7/97-present, Northbrook Life
Insurance Company; Director 7/97-present, Surety Life Insurance Company.
B. EUGENE WRAITH, PRESIDENT, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER 1996, DIRECTOR, 1984,
President and Chief Operating Officer 3/96-present, Senior Vice President
4/94-3/96, Vice President 12/81-4/94, Lincoln Benefit Life Company; President
and Chief Operating Officer 3/96-present, Executive Vice President 1/94-3/96,
Director 9/93-present, Surety Life Insurance Company; Chairman of the Board,
Director 1993-1/99, President 5/93-11/96, Lincoln Benefit Financial Services,
Inc.; Vice President 3/96-present, Allstate Life Insurance Company.
SEPARATE ACCOUNT. Lincoln Benefit Life Variable Life Account was originally
established in 1990, as a segregated asset account of Lincoln Benefit. The
Separate Account meets the definition of a "separate account" under the federal
securities laws and is registered with the SEC as a unit investment trust under
the Investment Company Act of 1940. The SEC does not supervise the management of
the Separate Account or Lincoln Benefit.
We own the assets of the Separate Account, but we hold them separate from our
other assets. To the extent that these assets are attributable to the Policy
Value of the Policies offered by this Prospectus, these assets are not
chargeable with liabilities arising out of any other business we may conduct.
Income, gains, and losses, whether or not realized, from assets allocated to the
Separate Account are credited to or charged against the Separate Account without
regard to our other income, gains, or losses. Our obligations arising under the
Policies are general corporate obligations of Lincoln Benefit.
The Separate Account is divided into Subaccounts. The assets of each Subaccount
are invested in the shares of one of the Portfolios. We do not guarantee the
investment performance of the Separate Account, its Subaccounts or the
Portfolios. Values allocated to the Separate Account will rise and fall with the
values of shares of the Portfolios and are also reduced by Policy charges. We
use the Separate Account to fund our other variable universal life insurance
policies.
We will account separately for each type of variable life insurance policy
funded by the Separate Account.
SAFEKEEPING OF THE SEPARATE ACCOUNT'S ASSETS. We hold the assets of the Separate
Account. We keep those assets physically segregated and held separate and apart
from our general account assets. We maintain records of all purchases and
redemptions of shares of the Portfolios.
STATE REGULATION OF LINCOLN BENEFIT. We are subject to the laws of Nebraska and
regulated by the Nebraska Department of Insurance. Every year we file an annual
statement with the Department of Insurance covering our operations for the
previous year and our financial condition as of the end of the year. We are
inspected periodically by the Department of Insurance to verify our contract
liabilities and reserves. We also are examined periodically by the National
Association of Insurance Commissioners. Our books and records are subject to
review by the Department of Insurance at all times. We are also subject to
regulation under the insurance laws of every jurisdiction in which we operate.
YEAR 2000. The Company is heavily dependent upon complex computer systems for
all phases of its operations, including customer service, and policy and
contract administration. Since many of the Company's older computer software
programs recognize only the last two digits of the year in any date, some
software may fail to operate properly in or after the year 1999, if the software
is not reprogrammed or replaced ("Year 2000 Issue"). The Company believes that
many of its suppliers and counterparties also have Year 2000 Issues which could
affect the Company. In 1995, Allstate commenced a plan intended to mitigate
and/or prevent the adverse effects of Year 2000 Issues. These strategies include
normal development and enhancement of new and existing systems, upgrades to
operating systems already covered by maintenance agreements and modifications to
existing systems to make them Year 2000 compliant. The plan also includes the
Company actively working with its major external counterparties and suppliers to
assess their compliance efforts and the Company's exposure to them. The Company
presently believes that it will resolve the Year 2000 Issue in a timely manner,
and the financial impact will not materially affect its results of operations,
liquidity, or financial position. Year 2000 costs are and will be expensed as
incurred.
MARKET TIMING AND ASSET ALLOCATION
Certain third parties offer market timing and asset allocation services in
connection with the Policies. In certain situations, Lincoln Benefit will honor
transfer instructions from such third parties provided such market timing and
asset allocation services comply with our administrative systems, rules and
procedures, which may be modified by us at any time. PLEASE NOTE that fees and
charges assessed for
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such market timing and asset allocation services are separate and distinct from
the Policy fees and charges set forth herein. We neither recommend nor
discourage such market timing and asset allocation services.
DISTRIBUTION OF POLICIES
The Policies described in this Prospectus are sold by registered representatives
of broker-dealers who are our licensed insurance agents, either individually or
through an incorporated insurance agency.
Allstate Life Financial Services ("ALFS") located at 3100 Sanders Road,
Northbrook, IL 60062-7154 serves as principal underwriter of the Policies. ALFS
is a wholly owned subsidiary of Allstate Life Financial Services. It is
registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, and is a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
Registered representatives who sell the policy will be paid a maximum sales
commission of approximately 70% of all Premiums up to the first year Safety Net
premium plus 2.85% of any additional premiums in the first year. In addition,
certain bonuses and managerial compensation may be paid. We pay all such
commissions and incentives.
During 1998, Lincoln Benefit paid to its former principal underwriter of the
Policies, Lincoln Benefit Financial Services ("LBFS"), gross commissions for the
sale of Policies of approximately $263,332.99. LBFS, as principal underwriter,
retained $5,587.83. The amounts not retained by LBFS were paid to other
independent broker/dealers and registered representatives of LBFS for
distribution of the Policies.
Lincoln Benefit does not pay ALFS a commission for distribution of the
Contracts. The underwriting agreement with ALFS provides that we will reimburse
ALFS for expenses incurred in distributing the Policies, including any liability
arising out of the Services we provide on the Policies.
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
There are no pending legal proceedings affecting the Separate Account. Lincoln
Benefit and its subsidiaries are engaged in routine law suits which, in our
management's judgment, are not of material importance to their respective total
assets or material with respect to the Separate Account.
LEGAL MATTERS
All matters of Nebraska law pertaining to the Policy, including the validity of
the Policy and our right to issue the Policy under Nebraska law, have been
passed upon Carol S. Watson, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of
Lincoln Benefit. Legal matters relating to the federal securities laws in
connection with the Policies described in this prospectus are being passed upon
by the law firm of Jordan Burt Boros Cicchetti Berenson & Johnson, 1025 Thomas
Jefferson St., East Lobby, Washington, D.C. 20007-5201.
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
We have filed a registration statement with the SEC, Washington, D.C., under the
Securities Act of 1933 as amended, with respect to the Policies offered by this
Prospectus. This Prospectus does not contain all the information set forth in
the registration statement and the exhibits filed as part of the registration
statement. You should refer to the registration statement and the exhibits for
further information concerning the Separate Account, Lincoln Benefit, and the
Policies. The descriptions in this Prospectus of the Policies and other legal
instruments are summaries. You should refer to those instruments as filed for
their precise terms. You may read the registration statement and other reports
that we file at the SEC's public reference room in Washington, D.C. You can
request copies of these documents upon payment of a duplicating fee, by writing
to the SEC. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the
operation of its public reference room. Our SEC filings are also available to
the public on the SEC Internet site (http:\\www.sec.gov).
EXPERTS
The financial statements of Lincoln Benefit Life Variable Life Account as of
December 31, 1998, and for each of the periods ended December 31, 1998, December
31, 1997, and December 31, 1996 and consolidated financial statements of Lincoln
Benefit Life Company and subsidiary as of December 31, 1998, and 1997 and for
each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 1998, included in this
Prospectus have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent auditors, as
stated in their reports appearing herein, and are included in reliance upon the
reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and
auditing.
Actuarial matters included in this Prospectus, including the hypothetical Policy
illustrations, have been examined by Dean M. Way, Vice President and Actuary of
the Company, and are included in reliance upon his opinion as to their
reasonableness.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The financial statements of the Separate Account included in this Prospectus
reflect the assets attributable to this Policy, as well as assets invested in
other policies offered by Lincoln Benefit. The consolidated financial statements
of Lincoln Benefit which are included in this Prospectus should be considered
only as bearing on our ability to meet its obligations under the Policy. They
should not be considered as bearing on the investment performance of the assets
held in the Separate Account.
32
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE
LIFE ACCOUNT
Financial Statements as of December 31, 1998, and
for the periods ended December 31, 1998,
December 31, 1997 and December 31, 1996, and
Independent Auditors' Report
33
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE
VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Page
Independent Auditors' Report 38
Statements of Net Assets as of December 31, 1998 for the following:
Investments in Alger American Fund Portfolios: 39
Growth
Income and Growth
Leveraged AllCap
MidCap Growth
Small Capitalization
Investments in Janus Aspen Series Portfolios:
Flexible Income
Balanced
Growth
Aggressive Growth
Worldwide Growth
Investments in IAI Retirement Funds, Inc. Portfolios:
Regional
Reserve
Balanced
Investments in Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund II Portfolios:
Asset Manager
Contrafund
Index 500
Investments in Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund Portfolios:
Money Market
Equity-Income
Growth
Overseas
Investments in Federated Insurance Management Series Portfolios:
High Income Bond Fund II
Utility Fund II
U.S. Government Securities Fund II
Investments in Scudder Variable Life Investment Fund Portfolios:
Bond
Balanced
Growth and Income
Global Discovery
International
Investments in Strong Variable Insurance Funds, Inc. Portfolios: 40
Discovery Fund II
Growth Fund II
Investment in Strong Opportunity Fund II, Inc. Portfolio:
Opportunity Fund II
Investment in T. Rowe Price International Series, Inc. Portfolio:
International Stock
Investments in T. Rowe Price Equity Series, Inc. Portfolios:
New America Growth
Mid-Cap Growth
Equity Income
34
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE
VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Page
Investments in MFS Variable Insurance Trust Portfolios: 40
Growth with Income Series
Research Series
Emerging Growth Series
Total Return Series
New Discovery Series
Statements of Operations for the following:
For the Period August 17, 1998 to December 31, 1998
Investments in Alger American Fund Portfolios: 41
Growth
Income and Growth
Leveraged AllCap
MidCap Growth
Small Capitalization
For the Years Ended December 31, 1998, 1997 and 1996
Investments in Janus Aspen Series Portfolios: 42, 49, 53
Flexible Income
Balanced
Growth
Aggressive Growth
Worldwide Growth
Investments in IAI Retirement Funds, Inc. Portfolios: 43, 50, 54
Regional
Reserve
Balanced
Investment in Fidelity Variable Insurance Products
Fund II Portfolio:
Asset Manager
For the Years Ended December 31, 1998, 1997 and the Period May 1, 1996 to
December 31, 1996
Investment in Fidelity Variable Insurance Products
Fund II Portfolio:
Contrafund
For the Period August 17, 1998 to December 31, 1998
Investment in Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund II Portfolio: 43
Index 500
For the Years Ended December 31, 1998, 1997 and 1996
Investments in Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund
Portfolios: 44, 51, 55
Money Market
Equity-Income
Growth
Overseas
Investments in Federated Insurance Management Series Portfolios: 45, 52, 56
High Income Bond Fund II
Utility Fund II
U.S. Government Securities Fund II
Investment in Scudder Variable Life Investment Fund Portfolio: 46, 52, 56
Bond
35
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE
VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Page
For the Period August 17, 1998 to December 31, 1998
Investments in Scudder Variable Life Investment Fund Portfolios: 46
Balanced
Growth and Income
Global Discovery
International
Investments in Strong Variable Insurance Funds, Inc. Portfolios:
Discovery Fund II
Growth Fund II
Investment in Strong Opportunity Fund II, Inc. Portfolio: 47
Opportunity Fund II
Investment in T. Rowe Price International Series, Inc. Portfolio:
International Stock
Investments in T. Rowe Price Equity Series, Inc. Portfolio:
New America Growth
Mid-Cap Growth
Equity Income
Investments in MFS Variable Insurance Trust Portfolios: 48
Growth with Income Series
Research Series
Emerging Growth Series
Total Return Series
New Discovery Series
Statements of Changes in Net Assets for the following:
For the Period August 17, 1998 to December 31, 1998
Investments in Alger American Fund Portfolios: 57
Growth
Income and Growth
Leveraged AllCap
MidCap Growth
Small Capitalization
For the Years Ended December 31, 1998, 1997 and 1996
Investments in Janus Aspen Series Portfolios: 58, 64, 68
Flexible Income
Balanced
Growth
Aggressive Growth
Worldwide Growth
Investments in IAI Retirement Funds, Inc. Portfolios: 59, 65, 69
Regional
Reserve
Balanced
Investment in Fidelity Variable Insurance Products
Fund II Portfolio:
Asset Manager
36
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE
VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Page
For the Years Ended December 31, 1998, 1997 and the Period
May 1, 1996 to December 31, 1996
Investment in Fidelity Variable Insurance Products
Fund II Portfolio: 59, 65, 69
Contrafund
For the Period August 17, 1998 to December 31, 1998
Investment in Fidelity Variable Insurance Products
Fund II Portfolio: 59
Index 500
For the Years Ended December 31, 1998, 1997 and 1996
Investments in Fidelity Variable Insurance Products
Fund Portfolios: 60, 66, 70
Money Market
Equity-Income
Growth
Overseas
Investments in Federated Insurance Management Series Portfolios: 60, 67, 71
High Income Bond Fund II
Utility Fund II
U.S. Government Securities Fund II
Investment in Scudder Variable Life Investment Fund Portfolio: 61, 67, 71
Bond
For the Period August 17, 1998 to December 31, 1998
Investments in Scudder Variable Life Investment Fund Portfolios: 61
Balanced
Growth and Income
Global Discovery
International
Investments in Strong Variable Insurance Funds, Inc. Portfolios:
Discovery Fund II
Growth Fund II
Investment in Strong Opportunity Fund II, Inc. Portfolio: 62
Opportunity Fund II
Investment in T. Rowe Price International Series, Inc. Portfolio:
International Stock
Investment in T. Rowe Price Equity Series, Inc. Portfolios:
New America Growth
Mid-Cap Growth
Equity Income
Investments in MFS Variable Insurance Trust Portfolios: 63
Growth with Income Series
Research Series
Emerging Growth Series
Total Return Series
New Discovery Series
Notes to Financial Statements 72 - 74
37
<PAGE>
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT
To the Board of Directors and Shareholder of
Lincoln Benefit Life Company:
We have audited the accompanying statements of net assets of each of the
sub-accounts ("portfolios" for the purposes of this report), listed in the table
of contents, that comprise Lincoln Benefit Life Variable Life Account (the
"Account"), a Separate Account of Lincoln Benefit Life Company, an affiliate of
The Allstate Corporation, as of December 31, 1998, and the related statements of
operations and changes in net assets for the applicable periods indicated in the
table of contents. These financial statements are the responsibility of the
Account's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these
financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our procedures included
confirmation of securities owned at December 31, 1998. An audit also includes
assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by
management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, such financial statements present fairly, in all material
respects, the financial position of each of the portfolios, listed in the table
of contents, that comprise the Account as of December 31, 1998, and the results
of their operations, and the changes in their net assets for each of the
periods, indicated in the table of contents, in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles.
/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
Chicago, Illinois
March 18, 1999
38
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF NET ASSETS
DECEMBER 31, 1998
($ in thousands)
NET ASSETS
Investments in The Alger American Fund Portfolios:
Growth, 310 shares (cost $14) $ 16
Income and Growth, 1,232 shares (cost $15) 16
Leveraged AllCap, 13 shares (cost $0) -
MidCap Growth, 103 shares (cost $3) 3
Small Capitalization, 268 shares (cost $10) 12
Investments in Janus Aspen Series Portfolios:
Flexible Income, 138,350 shares (cost $1,643) 1,669
Balanced, 415,245 shares (cost $7,669) 9,343
Growth, 810,845 shares (cost $14,916) 19,087
Aggressive Growth, 586,046 shares (cost $12,465) 16,169
Worldwide Growth, 1,030,323 shares (cost $25,718) 29,972
Investments in IAI Retirement Funds, Inc. Portfolios:
Regional, 175,763 shares (cost $2,676) 2,756
Reserve, 13,954 shares (cost $140) 141
Balanced, 43,437 shares (cost $603) 678
Investments in Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund II
Portfolios:
Asset Manager, 297,330 shares (cost $5,074) 5,400
Contrafund, 588,594 shares (cost $12,028) 14,385
Index 500, 292 shares (cost $38) 41
Investments in Fidelity Variable Insurance Products
Fund Portfolios:
Money Market, 9,167,244 shares (cost $9,167) 9,167
Equity-Income, 926,934 shares (cost $21,032) 23,563
Growth, 532,212 shares (cost $18,609) 23,880
Overseas, 364,181 shares (cost $7,180) 7,302
Investments in Federated Insurance Management Series Portfolios:
High Income Bond Fund II, 335,177 shares (cost $3,642) 3,660
Utility Fund II, 168,373 shares (cost $2,231) 2,571
U.S. Government Securities Fund II, 110,463 shares (cost $1,196) 1,232
Investments in Scudder Variable Life Investment Fund Portfolios:
Bond, 106,134 shares (cost $632) 730
Balanced, 211 shares (cost $3) 3
Growth and Income, 282 shares (cost $3) 3
Global Discovery, 349 shares (cost $3) 3
International, 289 shares (cost $4) 4
39
<PAGE>
Investments in Strong Variable Insurance Funds, Inc., Portfolios:
Discovery Fund II, 0 shares -
Growth Fund II, 0 shares -
Investment in Strong Opportunity Fund II, Inc. Portfolio:
Opportunity Fund II, 86 shares (cost $2) 2
Investment in T. Rowe Price International Series, Inc. Portfolio:
International Stock, 8 shares (cost $0) -
Investments in T. Rowe Price Equity Series, Inc. Portfolios:
New America Growth, 104 shares (cost $3) 3
Mid-Cap Growth, 459 shares (cost $7) 7
Equity Income, 275 shares (cost $5) 5
Investments in MFS Variable Insurance Trust Portfolios:
Growth with Income Series, 149 shares (cost $3) 3
Research Series, 197 shares (cost $4) 4
Emerging Growth Series, 147 shares (cost $3) 3
Total Return Series, 1,204 shares (cost $21) 22
New Discovery Series, 25 shares (cost $0) -
--------
Net assets $171,855
========
See notes to financial statements.
40
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
($ in thousands) Alger American Fund Portfolios
---------------------------------------------------------
For the Period August 17, 1998 to December 31, 1998
---------------------------------------------------------
Income and Leveraged MidCap Small
Growth Growth AllCap Growth Capitalization
-------- -------- --------- -------- --------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
INVESTMENT INCOME
Dividends $ -- $ -- $ -- $ -- $ --
Charges from Lincoln Benefit Life Company:
Mortality and expense risk -- -- -- -- --
Administrative expense -- -- -- -- --
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Net investment income (loss) -- -- -- -- --
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAINS
(LOSSES) ON INVESTMENTS
Realized gains (losses) from
sales of investments:
Proceeds from sales 11 -- -- -- 11
Cost of investments sold (11) -- -- -- (11)
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Net realized gains (losses) -- -- -- -- --
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Change in unrealized gains (losses) 2 1 -- -- 2
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Net gains (losses) on investments 2 1 -- -- 3
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS
RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS $ 2 $ 1 $ -- $ -- $ 3
======== ======== ======== ======== ========
<FN>
See notes to financial statemens.
</FN>
</TABLE>
41
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
($ in thousands)
Janus Aspen Series Portfolios
-------------------------------------------------------------
For the Year Ended December 31, 1998
-------------------------------------------------------------
Flexible Aggressive Worldwide
Income Balanced Growth Growth Growth
--------- --------- --------- ---------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
INVESTMENT INCOME
Dividends $ 82 $ 265 $ 820 $ -- $ 901
Charges from Lincoln Benefit Life Company:
Mortality and expense risk (9) (56) (93) (79) (165)
Administrative expense (2) (9) (23) (23) (43)
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Net investment income (loss) 71 200 704 (102) 693
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAINS
(LOSSES) ON INVESTMENTS
Realized gains (losses) from
sales of investments:
Proceeds from sales 866 3,583 5,432 14,012 25,446
Cost of investments sold (852) (3,294) (5,026) (13,027) (23,546)
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Net realized gains (losses) 14 289 406 985 1,900
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Change in unrealized gains (losses) (1) 1,313 3,161 2,976 2,958
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Net gains (losses) on investments 13 1,602 3,567 3,961 4,858
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS
RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS $ 84 $ 1,802 $ 4,271 $ 3,859 $ 5,551
========= ========= ========= ========= =========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
42
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
($ in thousands) Fidelity Variable Insurance Products
IAI Retirement Funds, Inc. Portfolios Fund II Portfolios
-------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------
For the Period
August 17,
For the Year Ended 1998 to December
December 31, 1998 31, 1998
---------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
Asset Contra-
Regional Reserve Balanced Manager fund Index 500
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
INVESTMENT INCOME
Dividends $ 152 $ 8 $ 13 $ 507 $ 414 $ --
Charges from Lincoln Benefit Life Company:
Mortality and expense risk (19) (1) (4) (33) (67) --
Administrative expense (6) -- (1) (9) (18) --
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Net investment income (loss) 127 7 8 465 329 --
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAINS
(LOSSES) ON INVESTMENTS
Realized gains (losses) from
sales of investments:
Proceeds from sales 935 262 205 9,810 13,181 13
Cost of investments sold (918) (263) (193) (9,652) (12,650) (13)
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Net realized gains (losses) 17 (1) 12 158 531 --
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Change in unrealized gains (losses) (142) 2 35 55 1,875 3
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Net gains (losses) on investments (125) 1 47 213 2,406 3
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS
RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS $ 2 $ 8 $ 55 $ 678 $ 2,735 $ 3
========= ========= ========= ========= ========= =========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
43
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
($ in thousands)
Fidelity Variable Insurance Products
Fund Portfolios
------------------------------------------------
For the Year Ended December 31, 1998
------------------------------------------------
Money Equity-
Market Income Growth Overseas
--------- --------- --------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
INVESTMENT INCOME
Dividends $ 480 $ 1,066 $ 1,768 $ 400
Charges from Lincoln Benefit Life Company:
Mortality and expense risk (63) (138) (121) (38)
Administrative expense (14) (35) (33) (11)
--------- --------- --------- ---------
Net investment income (loss) 403 893 1,614 351
--------- --------- --------- ---------
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAINS
(LOSSES) ON INVESTMENTS
Realized gains (losses) from
sales of investments:
Proceeds from sales 149,121 11,949 12,013 41,560
Cost of investments sold (149,121) (11,196) (11,255) (41,063)
--------- --------- --------- ---------
Net realized gains (losses) -- 753 758 497
--------- --------- --------- ---------
Change in unrealized gains (losses) -- 335 3,446 125
--------- --------- --------- ---------
Net gains (losses) on investments -- 1,088 4,204 622
--------- --------- --------- ---------
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS
RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS $ 403 $ 1,981 $ 5,818 $ 973
========= ========= ========= =========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
44
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
($ in thousands)
Federated Insurance Management
Series Portfolios
--------------------------------------
For the Year Ended Decemmber 31, 1998
----------------------------------------
High Income U.S. Government
Bond Utility Securities
Fund II Fund II Fund II
----------- --------- --------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
INVESTMENT INCOME
Dividends $ 82 $ 108 $ 10
Charges from Lincoln Benefit Life Company:
Mortality and expense risk (21) (13) (7)
Administrative expense (5) (4) (1)
--------- --------- ---------
Net investment income (loss) 56 91 2
--------- --------- ---------
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAINS
(LOSSES) ON INVESTMENTS
Realized gains (losses) from
sales of investments:
Proceeds from sales 6,227 730 2,309
Cost of investments sold (6,160) (675) (2,281)
--------- --------- ---------
Net realized gains (losses) 67 55 28
--------- --------- ---------
Change in unrealized gains (losses) (69) 120 26
--------- --------- ---------
Net gains (losses) on investments (2) 175 54
--------- --------- ---------
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS
RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS $ 54 $ 266 $ 56
========= ========= =========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
45
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
($ in thousands) Strong Variable
Insurance Funds, Inc.
Scudder Variable Life Investment Fund Portfolios Portfolios
----------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
For the
Year Ended
December For the Period August 17, 1998
31, 1998 to December 31, 1998
--------- ---------------------------------------------------------------
Growth and Global Inter- Discovery Growth
Bond Balanced Income Discovery national Fund II Fund II
--------- -------- -------- --------- --------- -------- --------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
INVESTMENT INCOME
Dividends $ 36 $ -- $ -- $ -- $ -- $ -- $ --
Charges from Lincoln Benefit Life Company:
Mortality and expense risk (4) -- -- -- -- -- --
Administrative expense (1) -- -- -- -- -- --
-------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Net investment income (loss) 31 -- -- -- -- -- --
-------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- --------
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAINS
(LOSSES) ON INVESTMENTS
Realized gains (losses) from
sales of investments:
Proceeds from sales 654 -- -- -- -- -- --
Cost of investments sold (722) -- -- -- -- -- --
-------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Net realized gains (losses) (68) -- -- -- -- -- --
-------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Change in unrealized gains (losses) 69 -- -- -- -- -- --
-------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Net gains (losses) on investments 1 -- -- -- -- -- --
-------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- --------
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS
RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS $ 32 $ -- $ -- $ -- $ -- $ -- $ --
======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
46
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
($ in thousands) T. Rowe
Strong Price Inter-
Opportunity national
Fund II, Inc. Series, Inc. T. Rowe Price Equity Series,
Portfolio Portfolio Inc. Portfolios
----------------------- ------------------------------------
For the Period August 17, 1998 to December 31, 1998
--------------------------------------------------------------
Inter- New
Opportunity national America Mid-Cap Equity
Fund II Stock Growth Growth Income
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
INVESTMENT INCOME
Dividends $ -- $ -- $ -- $ -- $ --
Charges from Lincoln Benefit Life Company:
Mortality and expense risk -- -- -- -- --
Administrative expense -- -- -- -- --
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Net investment income (loss) -- -- -- -- --
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAINS
(LOSSES) ON INVESTMENTS
Realized gains (losses) from
sales of investments:
Proceeds from sales -- -- -- -- --
Cost of investments sold -- -- -- -- --
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Net realized gains (losses) -- -- -- -- --
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Change in unrealized gains (losses) -- -- -- -- --
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Net gains (losses) on investments -- -- -- -- --
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS
RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS $ -- $ -- $ -- $ -- $ --
========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
47
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
($ in thousands)
MFS Variable Insurance Trust Portfolios
--------------------------------------------------------
For the Period August 17, 1998 to December 31, 1998
--------------------------------------------------------
Growth Emerging Total New
with Income Research Growth Return Discovery
Series Series Series Series Series
------------- -------- -------- -------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
INVESTMENT INCOME
Dividends $ -- $ -- $ -- $ -- $ --
Charges from Lincoln Benefit Life Company:
Mortality and expense risk -- -- -- -- --
Administrative expense -- -- -- -- --
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Net investment income (loss) -- -- -- -- --
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAINS
(LOSSES) ON INVESTMENTS
Realized gains (losses) from
sales of investments:
Proceeds from sales -- -- -- 3 --
Cost of investments sold -- -- -- (3) --
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Net realized gains (losses) -- -- -- -- --
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Change in unrealized gains (losses) -- -- -- 1 --
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Net gains (losses) on investments -- -- -- 1 --
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS
RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS $ -- $ -- $ -- $ 1 $ --
======== ======== ======== ======== ========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
48
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
($ in thousands)
Janus Aspen Series Portfolios
---------------------------------------------
For the Year Ended December 31, 1997
---------------------------------------------
Flexible Aggressive Worldwide
Income Balanced Growth Growth Growth
------- -------- ------- ---------- --------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
INVESTMENT INCOME
Dividends $ 49 $ 86 $ 189 $ -- $ 181
Charges from Lincoln Benefit Life Company:
Mortality and expense risk (5) (18) (46) (46) (81)
Administrative expense (1) (5) (12) (14) (9)
--------- ------- -------- --------- --------
Net investment income (loss) 43 63 131 (60) 91
--------- ------- -------- --------- --------
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAINS
(LOSSES) ON INVESTMENTS
Realized gains (losses) from
sales of investments:
Proceeds from sales 1,087 2,365 7,818 11,046 17,134
Cost of investments sold (1,066) (2,221) (7,446) (10,625) (15,964)
--------- ------- -------- --------- --------
Net realized gains (losses) 21 144 372 421 1,170
--------- ------- -------- --------- --------
Change in unrealized gains (losses) 9 260 640 632 600
--------- ------- -------- --------- --------
Net gains (losses) on investments 30 404 1,012 1,053 1,770
--------- ------- -------- --------- --------
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS
RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS $ 73 $ 467 $ 1,143 $ 993 $ 1,861
======= ======= ======= ======== ========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
49
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
($ in thousands) Fidelity
IAI Retirement Funds, Insurance Products
Inc. Portfolios Fund II Portfolios
---------------------- ------------------
For the Year Ended December 31, 1997
---------------------------------------------
Regi- Res- Bal- Asset Contra-
onal erve anced Manager fund
----- ----- ----- ------- -------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
INVESTMENT INCOME
Dividends $ 94 $ 6 $ 10 $ 305 $ 51
Charges from Lincoln Benefit Life Company:
Mortality and expense risk (16) (1) (2) (21) (27)
Administrative expense (5) -- (1) (6) (6)
------ ------ ------ -------- ------
Net investment income (loss) 73 5 7 278 18
------ ------ ------ -------- ------
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAINS
(LOSSES) ON INVESTMENTS
Realized gains (losses) from
sales of investments:
Proceeds from sales 953 53 171 3,642 6,207
Cost of investments sold (888) (54) (160) (3,388) (5,900)
------ ------ ------ -------- ------
Net realized gains (losses) 65 (1) 11 254 307
------ ------ ------ -------- ------
Change in unrealized gains (losses) 113 -- 24 (1) 373
------ ------ ------ -------- ------
Net gains (losses) on investments 178 (1) 35 253 680
------ ------ ------ -------- ------
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS
RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS $ 251 $ 4 $ 42 $ 531 $ 698
===== ==== ===== ======= =======
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
50
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
($ in thousands)
Fidelity Variable Insurance Products
Fund Portfolios
-------------------------------------
For the Year Ended December 31, 1997
-------------------------------------
Money Equity
Market Income Growth Overseas
--------- ------- ------- --------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
INVESTMENT INCOME
Dividends $ 315 $ 846 $ 318 $ 252
Charges from Lincoln Benefit Life Company:
Mortality and expense risk (41) (78) (72) (25)
Administrative expense (8) (5) (22) (7)
--------- ------- ------- --------
Net investment income (loss) 266 763 224 220
--------- ------- ------- --------
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAINS
(LOSSES) ON INVESTMENTS
Realized gains (losses) from
sales of investments:
Proceeds from sales 105,015 8,773 9,943 21,506
Cost of investments sold (105,015) (8,484) (9,231) (20,961)
--------- ------- ------- --------
Net realized gains (losses) -- 289 712 545
--------- ------- ------- --------
Change in unrealized gains (losses) -- 1,539 1,095 (267)
--------- ------- ------- --------
Net gains (losses) on investments -- 1,828 1,807 278
--------- ------- ------- --------
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS
RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS $ 266 $ 2,591 $ 2,031 $ 498
========= ======= ======= ========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
51
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
($ in thousands) Scudder
Variable
Life
Federated Insurance Investment
Management Series Fund
Portfolios Portfolio
-------------------------------------
For the Year Ended December 31, 1997
-------------------------------------
U.S
High Gov't
Income Securi-
Bond Utility ties
Fund II Fund II FundII Bond
------- ------ ----- ------
INVESTMENT INCOME
Dividends $ 61 $ 44 $ 9 $ 30
Charges from Lincoln Benefit Life Company:
Mortality and expense risk (8) (8) (2) (3)
Administrative expense (2) (3) -- (1)
------- ----- ----- -----
Net investment income (loss) 51 33 7 26
------- ----- ----- -----
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAINS
(LOSSES) ON INVESTMENTS
Realized gains (losses) from
sales of investments:
Proceeds from sales 2,364 734 261 576
Cost of investments sold (2,313) (665) (257) (577)
------- ----- ----- -----
Net realized gains (losses) 51 69 4 (1)
------- ----- ----- -----
Change in unrealized gains (losses) 48 166 7 13
------- ----- ----- -----
Net gains (losses) on investments 99 235 11 12
------- ----- ----- -----
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS
RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS $ 150 $ 268 $ 18 $ 38
======= ===== ===== =====
See notes to financial statements.
52
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
($ in thousands)
Janus Aspen Series Portfolios
----------------------------------------------------------------
For the Year Ended December 31, 1996
----------------------------------------------------------------
Flexible Aggressive Worldwide
Income Balanced Growth Growth Growth
------------ ---------- ---------- ------------ -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
INVESTMENT INCOME
Dividends $ 29 $ 24 $ 67 $ 33 $ 70
Charges from Lincoln Benefit Life Company:
Mortality and expense risk (3) (5) (18) (23) (27)
Administrative expense -- (1) (4) (5) (6)
---------- ---------- ---------- --------- ---------
Net investment income (loss) 26 18 45 5 37
---------- ---------- ---------- --------- ---------
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAINS
(LOSSES) ON INVESTMENTS
Realized gains (losses) from
sales of investments:
Proceeds from sales 3,253 541 4,620 3,894 4,048
Cost of investments sold (3,262) (513) (4,460) (3,743) (3,724)
---------- ---------- ---------- --------- ---------
Net realized gains (losses) (9) 28 160 151 324
---------- ---------- ---------- --------- ---------
Change in unrealized gains (losses) 13 64 197 (107) 450
---------- ---------- ---------- --------- ---------
Net gains (losses) on investments 4 92 357 44 774
---------- ---------- ---------- --------- ---------
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS
RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS $ 30 $ 110 $ 402 $ 49 $ 811
========== ========== ========== ========= =========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
53
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
($ in thousands)
Fidelity
Variable Insurance
IAI Retirement Funds, Inc. Portfolios Products Fund II Portfolios
------------------------------------- --------------------------
For the Period
May 1, 1996 to
For the Year Ended December 31, 1996 December 31, 1996
------------------------------------------------- -----------------
Asset
Regional Reserve Balanced Manager Contrafund
--------- --------- --------- -------- ----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
INVESTMENT INCOME
Dividends $ 57 $ 6 $ 3 $ 94 $ --
Charges from Lincoln Benefit Life Company:
Mortality and expense risk (8) (1) (1) (13) (4)
Administrative expense (2) -- -- (3) --
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Net investment income (loss) 47 5 2 78 (4)
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAINS
(LOSSES) ON INVESTMENTS
Realized gains (losses) from
sales of investments:
Proceeds from sales 1,894 219 56 724 2,224
Cost of investments sold (1,832) (219) (54) (697) (2,183)
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Net realized gains (losses) 62 -- 2 27 41
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Change in unrealized gains (losses) 6 -- 13 143 109
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Net gains (losses) on investments 68 -- 15 170 150
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS
RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS $ 115 $ 5 $ 17 $ 248 $ 146
========= ========= ========= ========= =========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
54
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
($ in thousands)
Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund Portfolios
------------------------------------------------------
For the Year Ended December 31, 1996
------------------------------------------------------
Money Equity-
Market Income Growth Overseas
--------- --------- --------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
INVESTMENT INCOME
Dividends $ 185 $ 152 $ 297 $ 44
Charges from Lincoln Benefit Life Company:
Mortality and expense risk (25) (35) (44) (15)
Administrative expense (5) (7) (9) (3)
--------- --------- --------- ---------
Net investment income (loss) 155 110 244 26
--------- --------- --------- ---------
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAINS
(LOSSES) ON INVESTMENTS
Realized gains (losses) from
sales of investments:
Proceeds from sales 54,684 4,355 13,992 3,383
Cost of investments sold (54,684) (4,196) (13,912) (3,364)
--------- --------- --------- ---------
Net realized gains (losses) -- 159 80 19
--------- --------- --------- ---------
Change in unrealized gains (losses) -- 381 367 206
--------- --------- --------- ---------
Net gains (losses) on investments -- 540 447 225
--------- --------- --------- ---------
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS
RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS $ 155 $ 650 $ 691 $ 251
========= ========= ========= =========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
55
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
($ in thousands) Scudder
Variable
Life
Investment
Federated Insurance Management Series Fund
Portfolios Portfolio
-------------------------------------------------
For the Year Ended December 31, 1996
-------------------------------------------------
U.S.
High Government
Income Bond Utility Securities
Fund II Fund II Fund II Bond
----------- --------- ---------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
INVESTMENT INCOME
Dividends $ 50 $ 30 $ 9 $ 30
Charges from Lincoln Benefit Life Company:
Mortality and expense risk (4) (5) (1) (3)
Administrative expense (1) (1) -- (1)
--------- --------- --------- ---------
Net investment income (loss) 45 24 8 26
--------- --------- --------- ---------
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAINS
(LOSSES) ON INVESTMENTS
Realized gains (losses) from
sales of investments:
Proceeds from sales 3,205 1,512 174 926
Cost of investments sold (3,200) (1,457) (175) (948)
--------- --------- --------- ---------
Net realized gains (losses) 5 55 (1) (22)
--------- --------- --------- ---------
Change in unrealized gains (losses) 22 21 1 7
--------- --------- --------- ---------
Net gains (losses) on investments 27 76 -- (15)
--------- --------- --------- ---------
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS
RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS $ 72 $ 100 $ 8 $ 11
========= ========= ========= =========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
56
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
($ in thousands)
Alger American Fund Portfolios
---------------------------------------------------------
For the Period August 17, 1998 to December 31, 1998
---------------------------------------------------------
Income and Leveraged MidCap Small
Growth Growth AllCap Growth Capitalization
--------- --------- -------- -------- --------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
FROM OPERATIONS
Net investment income (loss) $ -- $ -- $ -- $ -- $ --
Net realized gains (losses) -- -- -- -- --
Change in unrealized gains (losses) 2 1 -- -- 2
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Change in net assets resulting
from operations 2 1 -- -- 2
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
FROM CAPITAL TRANSACTIONS
Deposits 7 3 -- -- 4
Payments on termination -- -- -- -- --
Contract maintenance charges -- -- -- -- --
Loans - net -- -- -- -- --
Transfers among the portfolios
and with the Fixed Account - net 7 12 -- 3 6
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
Change in net assets resulting
from capital transactions 14 15 -- 3 10
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
INCREASE (DECREASE)IN NET ASSETS 16 16 -- 3 12
NET ASSETS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD -- -- -- -- --
-------- -------- -------- -------- --------
NET ASSETS AT END OF PERIOD $ 16 $ 16 $ -- $ 3 $ 12
======== ======== ======== ======== ========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
57
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
($ in thousands)
Janus Aspen Series Portfolios
-------------------------------------------------------------
For the Year Ended December 31, 1998
-------------------------------------------------------------
Flexible Aggressive Worldwide
Income Balanced Growth Growth Growth
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
FROM OPERATIONS
Net investment income (loss) $ 71 $ 200 $ 704 $ (102) $ 693
Net realized gains (losses) 14 289 406 985 1,900
Change in unrealized gains (losses) (1) 1,313 3,161 2,976 2,958
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Change in net assets resulting
from operations 84 1,802 4,271 3,859 5,551
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
FROM CAPITAL TRANSACTIONS
Deposits 107 1,270 2,626 2,380 4,307
Payments on termination (7) (63) (252) (248) (428)
Contract maintenance charges (55) (361) (879) (840) (1,444)
Loans - net (81) (85) (298) (165) (562)
Transfers among the portfolios
and with the Fixed Account - net 724 3,291 4,529 2,191 5,862
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Change in net assets resulting
from capital transactions 688 4,052 5,726 3,318 7,735
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
INCREASE (DECREASE)IN NET ASSETS 772 5,854 9,997 7,177 13,286
NET ASSETS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD 897 3,489 9,090 8,992 16,686
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
NET ASSETS AT END OF PERIOD $ 1,669 $ 9,343 $ 19,087 $ 16,169 $ 29,972
========= ========= ========= ========= =========
See notes to financial statements.
</TABLE>
58
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
($ in thousands) Fidelity Variable Insurance Products
IAI Retirement Funds, Inc. Portfolios Fund II Portfolios
-------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------
For the Period
August 17, 1998
to December
For the Year Ended December 31, 1998 31, 1998
------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------
Asset Contra-
Regional Reserve Balanced Manager fund Index 500
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
FROM OPERATIONS
Net investment income (loss) $ 127 $ 7 $ 8 $ 465 $ 329 $ --
Net realized gains (losses) 17 (1) 12 159 531 --
Change in unrealized gains (losses) (142) 2 35 55 1,875 3
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Change in net assets resulting
from operations 2 8 55 679 2,735 3
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
FROM CAPITAL TRANSACTIONS
Deposits 525 7 90 765 2,307 20
Payments on termination (35) -- (2) (123) (95) --
Contract maintenance charges (195) (6) (33) (263) (673) --
Loans - net (36) -- (8) (54) (338) --
Transfers among the portfolios
and with the Fixed Account - net (208) (67) 193 511 3,545 18
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Change in net assets resulting
from capital transactions 51 (66) 240 836 4,746 38
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
INCREASE (DECREASE)IN NET ASSETS 53 (58) 295 1,515 7,481 41
NET ASSETS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD 2,703 199 383 3,885 6,904 --
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
NET ASSETS AT END OF PERIOD $ 2,756 $ 141 $ 678 $ 5,400 $ 14,385 $ 41
========== ========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
59
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
($ in thousands)
Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Federated Insurance Management
Fund Portfolios Series Portfolios
------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------
For the Year Ended December 31, 1998
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
High Income U.S. Government
Money Equity Bond Utility Securities
Market Income Growth Overseas Fund II Fund II Fund II
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
FROM OPERATIONS
Net investment income (loss) $ 403 $ 893 $ 1,614 $ 351 $ 56 $ 91 $ 2
Net realized gains (losses) -- 753 758 497 67 55 28
Change in unrealized gains (losses) -- 335 3,446 125 (69) 120 26
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Change in net assets resulting
from operations 403 1,981 5,818 973 54 266 56
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
FROM CAPITAL TRANSACTIONS
Deposits 38,647 3,505 3,241 824 519 183 115
Payments on termination (100) (395) (354) (125) (59) (48) (30)
Contract maintenance charges (729) (1,219) (1,181) (326) (173) (94) (47)
Loans - net (458) (551) (400) (72) (41) (68) (18)
Transfers among the portfolios
and with the Fixed Account - net (33,765) 4,082 4,386 774 1,275 966 871
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Change in net assets resulting
from capital transactions 3,595 5,422 5,692 1,075 1,521 939 891
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
INCREASE (DECREASE)IN NET ASSETS 3,998 7,403 11,510 2,048 1,575 1,205 947
NET ASSETS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD 5,169 16,160 12,370 5,254 2,085 1,366 285
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
NET ASSETS AT END OF PERIOD $ 9,167 $ 23,563 $ 23,880 $ 7,302 $ 3,660 $ 2,571 $ 1,232
========= ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= =========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
60
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
($ in thousands)
Strong Variable
Insurance Funds, Inc.
Scudder Variable Life Investment Fund Portfolios Portfolios
------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------
For the Year
Ended December
31, 1998 For the Period August 17, 1998 to December 31, 1998
------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Growth and Global Inter- Discovery Growth
Bond Balanced Income Discovery national Fund II Fund II
------------- --------- ---------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
FROM OPERATIONS
Net investment income (loss) $ 31 $ -- $ -- $ -- $ -- $ -- $ --
Net realized gains (losses) (68) -- -- -- -- -- --
Change in unrealized gains (losses) 69 -- -- -- -- -- --
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Change in net assets resulting
from operations 32 -- -- -- -- -- --
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
FROM CAPITAL TRANSACTIONS
Deposits 125 -- 3 -- -- -- --
Payments on termination (35) -- -- -- -- -- --
Contract maintenance charges (55) -- -- -- -- -- --
Loans - net (4) -- -- -- -- -- --
Transfers among the portfolios
and with the Fixed Account - net 120 3 -- 3 4 -- --
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Change in net assets resulting
from capital transactions 151 3 3 3 4 -- --
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
INCREASE(DECREASE)IN NET ASSETS 183 3 3 3 4 -- --
NET ASSETS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD 547 -- -- -- -- -- --
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
NET ASSETS AT END OF PERIOD $ 730 $ 3 $ 3 $ 3 $ 4 $ -- $ --
========= ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= =========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
61
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
($ in thousands)
Strong T. Rowe Price
Opportunity International
Fund II, Inc. Series, Inc. T. Rowe Price Equity Series, Inc.
Portfolio Portfolio Portfolios
------------ ----------- -------------------------------------
For the Period August 17, 1998 to December 31, 1998
----------------------------------------------------------------
Opportuntiy International New America Mid-Cap Equity
Fund II Stock Growth Growth Income
----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
FROM OPERATIONS
Net investment income (loss) $ -- $ -- $ -- $ -- $ --
Net realized gains (losses) -- -- -- -- --
Change in unrealized gains (losses) -- -- -- -- --
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Change in net assets resulting
from operations -- -- -- -- --
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
FROM CAPITAL TRANSACTIONS
Deposits -- -- 1 7 3
Payments on termination -- -- -- -- --
Contract maintenance charges -- -- -- -- --
Loans - net -- -- -- -- --
Transfers among the portfolios
and with the Fixed Account - net 2 -- 2 -- 2
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Change in net assets resulting
from capital transactions 2 -- 3 7 5
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
INCREASE(DECREASE)IN NET ASSETS 2 -- 3 7 5
NET ASSETS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD -- -- -- -- --
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
NET ASSETS AT END OF PERIOD $ 2 $ -- $ 3 $ 7 $ 5
========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
62
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
($ in thousands)
MFS Variable Insurance Trust Portfolios
----------------------------------------------------------------
For the Period August 17, 1998 to December 31, 1998
----------------------------------------------------------------
Growth with Research Emerging Total Return New Discovery
Income Series Series Growth Series Series Series
------------- ---------- ----------- ------------ ---- --------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
FROM OPERATIONS
Net investment income (loss) $ -- $ -- $ -- $ -- $ --
Net realized gains (losses) -- -- -- -- --
Change in unrealized gains (losses) -- -- -- 1 --
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Change in net assets resulting
from operations -- -- -- 1 --
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
FROM CAPITAL TRANSACTIONS
Deposits 3 4 -- 12 --
Payments on termination -- -- -- -- --
Contract maintenance charges -- -- -- -- --
Loans - net -- -- -- -- --
Transfers among the portfolios
and with the Fixed Account - net -- -- 3 9 --
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Change in net assets resulting
from capital transactions 3 4 3 21 --
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
INCREASE(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS 3 4 3 22 --
NET ASSETS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD -- -- -- -- --
--------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
NET ASSETS AT END OF PERIOD $ 3 $ 4 $ 3 $ 22 $ --
========= ========= ========= ========= =========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
63
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
(units in whole amounts, $ in thousands, except value per unit)
Janus Aspen Series Portfolios
--------------------------------------------------------------
For the Year Ended December 31, 1997
--------------------------------------------------------------
Flexible Aggressive Worldwide
Income Balanced Growth Growth Growth
---------- ---------- ---------- --------- ----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
FROM OPERATIONS
Net investment income (loss) $ 43 $ 63 $ 131 $ (60) $ 91
Net realized gains (losses) 21 144 372 421 1,170
Change in unrealized gains (losses) 9 260 640 632 600
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Change in net assets resulting
from operations 73 467 1,143 993 1,861
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
FROM CAPITAL TRANSACTIONS
Deposits 314 476 2,069 2,348 2,574
Payments on termination (34) (51) (236) (356) (263)
Contract maintenance charges (45) (161) (514) (706) (765)
Loans - net 3 (55) (278) (179) (310)
Transfers among the portfolios
and with the Fixed Account - net 158 1,251 3,112 1,978 7,235
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Change in net assets resulting
from capital transactions 396 1,460 4,153 3,085 8,471
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS 469 1,927 5,296 4,078 10,332
NET ASSETS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR 428 1,562 3,794 4,914 6,354
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
NET ASSETS AT END OF YEAR $ 897 $ 3,489 $ 9,090 $ 8,992 $ 16,686
========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
Net asset value per unit at end of year $ 14.37 $ 16.90 $ 18.39 $ 17.63 $ 19.02
========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
Units outstanding at end of year 62,401 206,476 494,236 510,138 877,255
========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
</TABLE>
64
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
(units in whole amounts, $ in thousands, except value per unit)
Fidelity Variable
Insurance Products
IAI Retirement Funds, Inc. Portfolios Fund II Portfolios
------------------------------------- -----------------------
For the Year Ended December 31, 1997
---------------------------------------------------------------
Asset
Regional Reserve Balanced Manager Contrafund
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
FROM OPERATIONS
Net investment income (loss) $ 73 $ 5 $ 7 $ 278 $ 18
Net realized gains (losses) 65 (1) 11 254 307
Change in unrealized gains (losses) 113 -- 24 (1) 373
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Change in net assets resulting
from operations 251 4 42 531 698
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
FROM CAPITAL TRANSACTIONS
Deposits 537 22 94 617 1,266
Payments on termination (47) -- (39) (73) (178)
Contract maintenance charges (154) (5) (21) (211) (329)
Loans - net (21) (7) -- (52) (131)
Transfers among the portfolios
and with the Fixed Account - net 494 74 70 669 4,154
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Change in net assets resulting
from capital transactions 809 84 104 950 4,782
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS 1,060 88 146 1,481 5,480
NET ASSETS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR 1,643 111 237 2,404 1,424
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
NET ASSETS AT END OF YEAR $ 2,703 $ 199 $ 383 $ 3,885 $ 6,904
========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
Net asset value per unit at end of year $ 17.51 $ 11.48 $ 14.80 $ 14.49 $ 13.80
========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
Units outstanding at end of year 154,361 17,365 25,910 268,189 500,155
========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
65
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
(units in whole amounts, $ in thousands, except value per unit)
Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund Portfolios
-------------------------------------------------------
For the Year Ended December 31, 1997
------------------------------------------------------
Money Equity
Market Income Growth Overseas
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
FROM OPERATIONS
Net investment income (loss) $ 266 $ 763 $ 224 $ 220
Net realized gains (losses) -- 289 712 545
Change in unrealized gains (losses) -- 1,539 1,095 (267)
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Change in net assets resulting
from operations 266 2,591 2,031 498
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
FROM CAPITAL TRANSACTIONS
Deposits 27,467 2,858 3,070 817
Payments on termination (108) (397) (410) (120)
Contract maintenance charges (673) (781) (884) (243)
Loans - net (13) (326) (200) (23)
Transfers among the portfolios
and with the Fixed Account - net (26,494) 4,335 (413) 1,532
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Change in net assets resulting
from capital transactions 179 5,689 1,163 1,963
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS 445 8,280 3,194 2,461
NET ASSETS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR 4,724 7,880 9,176 2,793
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
NET ASSETS AT END OF YEAR $ 5,169 $ 16,160 $ 12,370 $ 5,254
========== ========== ========== ==========
Net asset value per unit at end of year $ 11.90 $ 20.08 $ 18.41 $ 12.84
========== ========== ========== ==========
Units outstanding at end of year 434,383 804,586 671,846 409,217
========== ========== ========== ==========
<FN>
See notes to financial statments.
</FN>
</TABLE>
66
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
(units in whole amounts, $ in thousands, except value per unit)
Scudder
Variable
Life
Federated Insurance Investment
Management Series Portfolios Fund Portfolio
----------------------------------------- --------------
For the Year Ended December 31, 1997
-----------------------------------------------------------
U.S.
High Government
Income Bond Utility Securities
Fund II Fund II Fund II Bond
----------- ---------- ---------- ----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
FROM OPERATIONS
Net investment income (loss) $ 51 $ 33 $ 7 $ 26
Net realized gains (losses) 51 69 4 (1)
Change in unrealized gains (losses) 48 166 7 13
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Change in net assets resulting
from operations 150 268 18 38
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
FROM CAPITAL TRANSACTIONS
Deposits 231 248 33 120
Payments on termination (70) (58) (21) (44)
Contract maintenance charges (79) (71) (20) (43)
Loans - net (33) (41) (12) (9)
Transfers among the portfolios
and with the Fixed Account - net 1,314 129 118 35
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Change in net assets resulting
from capital transactions 1,363 207 98 59
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS 1,513 475 116 97
NET ASSETS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR 572 891 169 450
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
NET ASSETS AT END OF YEAR $ 2,085 $ 1,366 $ 285 $ 547
========== ========== ========== ==========
Net asset value per unit at end of year $ 14.67 $ 16.43 $ 12.23 $ 12.23
========== ========== ========== ==========
Units outstanding at end of year 142,047 83,101 23,223 44,687
========== ========== ========== ==========
<FN>
See notes to financial statments.
</FN>
</TABLE>
67
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(units in whole amounts, $ in thousands, except value per unit)
Janus Aspen Series Portfolios
------------------------------------------------------------------
For the Year Ended December 31, 1996
------------------------------------------------------------------
Flexible Aggressive Worldwide
Income Balanced Growth Growth Growth
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
FROM OPERATIONS
Net investment income (loss) $ 26 $ 18 $ 45 $ 5 $ 37
Net realized gains (losses) (9) 28 160 151 324
Change in unrealized gains (losses) 13 64 197 (107) 450
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Change in net assets resulting
from operations 30 110 402 49 811
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
FROM CAPITAL TRANSACTIONS
Deposits 86 205 719 1,343 1,125
Payments on termination -- (6) (17) (18) (26)
Contract maintenance charges (23) (65) (215) (348) (316)
Loans - net (28) (69) (38) (56) (81)
Transfers among the portfolios
and with the Fixed Account - net (98) 1,115 1,690 2,549 3,163
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Change in net assets resulting
from capital transactions (63) 1,180 2,139 3,470 3,865
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS (33) 1,290 2,541 3,519 4,676
NET ASSETS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD 461 272 1,253 1,395 1,678
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
NET ASSETS AT END OF PERIOD $ 428 $ 1,562 $ 3,794 $ 4,914 $ 6,354
========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
Net asset value per unit at end of period $ 12.95 $ 13.94 $ 15.09 $ 15.76 $ 15.68
========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
Units outstanding at end of period 33,049 112,072 251,426 311,878 405,187
========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
68
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(units in whole amounts, $ in thousands, except value per unit)
Fidelity Variable
Insurance Products
IAI Retirement Funds, Inc. Portfolios Fund II Portfolios
-------------------------------------- -----------------------------
For the Period
May 1, 1996 to
For the Year Ended December 31, 1996 December 31, 1996
---------------------------------------------------- -----------------
Asset
Regional Reserve Balanced Manager Contrafund
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
FROM OPERATIONS
Net investment income (loss) $ 47 $ 5 $ 2 $ 78 $ (4)
Net realized gains (losses) 62 -- 2 27 41
Change in unrealized gains (losses) 6 -- 13 143 109
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Change in net assets resulting
from operations 115 5 17 248 146
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
FROM CAPITAL TRANSACTIONS
Deposits 343 13 51 662 102
Payments on termination (7) (1) (1) (25) --
Contract maintenance charges (105) (4) (15) (162) (29)
Loans - net (19) (1) -- (33) (19)
Transfers among the portfolios
and with the Fixed Account - net 677 (31) 115 387 1,224
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Change in net assets resulting
from capital transactions 889 (24) 150 829 1,278
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS 1,004 (19) 167 1,077 1,424
NET ASSETS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD 639 130 70 1,327 --
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
NET ASSETS AT END OF PERIOD $ 1,643 $ 111 $ 237 $ 2,404 $ 1,424
========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
Net asset value per unit at end of period $ 15.55 $ 11.05 $ 12.78 $ 12.09 $ 11.20
========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
Units outstanding at end of period 105,712 10,023 18,544 198,822 127,156
========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
69
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(units in whole amounts, $ in thousands, except value per unit)
Fidelity Variable Insurance
Products Fund Portfolios
-------------------------------------------------
For the Year Ended December 31, 1996
-------------------------------------------------
Money Equity-
Market Income Growth Overseas
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
FROM OPERATIONS
Net investment income (loss) $ 155 $ 110 $ 244 $ 26
Net realized gains (losses) -- 159 80 19
Change in unrealized gains (losses) -- 381 367 206
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Change in net assets resulting
from operations 155 650 691 251
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
FROM CAPITAL TRANSACTIONS
Deposits 24,379 1,399 875 413
Payments on termination (36) (75) (68) (40)
Contract maintenance charges (522) (385) (545) (162)
Loans - net (591) (83) (214) (34)
Transfers among the portfolios
and with the Fixed Account - net (21,432) 3,844 4,847 976
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Change in net assets resulting
from capital transactions 1,798 4,700 4,895 1,153
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS 1,953 5,350 5,586 1,404
NET ASSETS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD 2,771 2,530 3,590 1,389
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
NET ASSETS AT END OF PERIOD $ 4,724 $ 7,880 $ 9,176 $ 2,793
========== ========== ========== ==========
Net asset value per unit at end of period $ 11.36 $ 15.79 $ 15.02 $ 11.59
========== ========== ========== ==========
Units outstanding at end of period 415,846 499,083 611,092 240,961
========== ========== ========== ==========
<FN>
See notes to financial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
70
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(units in whole amounts, $ in thousands, except value per unit)
Scudder
Variable
Life
Federated Insurance Investment
Management Series Portfolios Fund Portfolio
--------------------------------------- ---------------
For the Year Ended December 31, 1996
-------------------------------------------------------
U.S.
High Government
Income Bond Utility Securities
Fund II Fund II Fund II Bond
----------- ---------- ---------- ----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
FROM OPERATIONS
Net investment income (loss) $ 45 $ 24 $ 8 $ 26
Net realized gains (losses) 5 55 (1) (22)
Change in unrealized gains (losses) 22 21 1 7
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Change in net assets resulting
from operations 72 100 8 11
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
FROM CAPITAL TRANSACTIONS
Deposits 96 127 24 84
Payments on termination (1) (8) (3) --
Contract maintenance charges (32) (50) (11) (28)
Loans - net (39) (21) (4) (19)
Transfers among the portfolios
and with the Fixed Account - net 7 406 100 234
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Change in net assets resulting
from capital transactions 31 454 106 271
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS 103 554 114 282
NET ASSETS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD 469 337 55 168
---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
NET ASSETS AT END OF PERIOD $ 572 $ 891 $ 169 $ 450
========== ========== ========== ==========
Net asset value per unit at end of period $ 12.98 $ 13.07 $ 11.37 $ 11.29
========== ========== ========== ==========
Units outstanding at end of period 44,040 68,211 14,837 39,841
========== ========== ========== ==========
<FN>
See notes to finacial statements.
</FN>
</TABLE>
71
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
1. ORGANIZATION
Lincoln Benefit Life Variable Life Account (the "Account"), a unit
investment trust registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under
the Investment Company Act of 1940, is a Separate Account of Lincoln Benefit
Life Company ("Lincoln Benefit"). The assets of the Account are legally
segregated from those of Lincoln Benefit. Lincoln Benefit is wholly owned by
Allstate Life Insurance Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Allstate Insurance
Company, which is wholly owned by The Allstate Corporation.
Lincoln Benefit issues two life policies, the Investor's Select and
Consultant, the deposits of which are invested at the direction of the
policyholder in the sub-accounts ("portfolios" for purposes of this report) that
comprise the Account. Policyholders bear all investment risk. The portfolios
invest in the following: Alger American Fund, Janus Aspen Series, IAI Retirement
Funds, Inc., Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund II, Fidelity Variable
Insurance Products Fund, Federated Insurance Management Series, Scudder Variable
Life Investment Fund, Strong Variable Insurance Funds, Inc., Strong Opportunity
Fund II, Inc., T. Rowe Price International Series, Inc., T. Rowe Price Equity
Series, Inc., and MFS Variable Insurance Trust (collectively the "Funds").
Lincoln Benefit provides administrative and insurance services to the
policyholder for a fee.
2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Valuation of Investments - Investments consist of shares of the Funds and
are stated at fair value based on quoted market prices at December 31, 1998.
Investment Income - Investment income consists of dividends declared by the
Funds and is recognized on the date of record.
Realized Gains and Losses - Realized gains and losses represent the
difference between the proceeds from sales of portfolio shares by the
Account and the cost of such shares, which is determined on a weighted
average basis.
Federal Income Taxes - The Account intends to qualify as a segregated asset
account as defined in the Internal Revenue Code ("Code"). As such, the
operations of the Account are included in the tax return of Lincoln
Benefit. Lincoln Benefit is taxed as a life insurance company under the
Code. No federal income taxes are payable by the Account in 1998, 1997, and
1996, as the Account did not generate taxable income.
3. POLICY CHARGES AND DEDUCTIONS
Upon receipt of each premium payment and before allocation to the policy
value, Lincoln Benefit deducts 2.5% of the premium to pay state premium
taxes. For a Consultant policy, Lincoln Benefit also deducts a premium
expense charge of 3.5% per annum of each premium for the first ten policy
years and 1.5% thereafter.
Lincoln Benefit deducts a contract maintenance charge which is equal to (i)
the cost of insurance for the policy, including riders, plus (ii) a monthly
administration charge of $5 for an Investor's Select policy and $7.50 for a
Consultant policy.
Lincoln Benefit assumes certain mortality and expense risks related to the
operations of the Account and deducts charges daily at a rate equal to .70%
per annum of the daily net assets of the Account for an Investor's Select
policy. Lincoln Benefit guarantees that the rate of this charge will not
exceed .90%. For a Consultant policy, Lincoln Benefit deducts charges daily
at a rate equal to .72% per annum of the daily net assets of the Account
for the first fourteen policy years. Thereafter, Lincoln Benefit intends to
charge .36% per annum for each policy year and guarantees the charge will
not exceed .48%.
An annual administrative expense charge of .20% of the Investor's Select
policy value is assessed on each policy anniversary during the first twelve
policy years.
4. FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
The only financial instruments of the Account are the investments in each
of the portfolios, which are carried at fair value, based on quoted market
prices.
72
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
5. UNITS ISSUED AND REDEEMED
(Units in whole amounts)
Investor's Select Contracts
Unit activity during 1998:
---------------------
Accumulat-
Units ion Unit
Units Outstanding Value
Outstanding Units Units December 31, December
December 31,1997 Issued Redeemed 1998 31, 1998
------------------------ -------- ---------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Investments in Janus Aspen Series Portfolio:
Flexible Income 62,401 102,750 (58,249) 106,902 $ 15.57
Balanced 206,476 369,356 (177,350) 398,482 22.46
Growth 494,236 540,595 (266,194) 768,637 24.78
Aggressive Growth 510,138 912,437 (734,984) 687,591 23.50
Worldwide Growth 877,255 1,507,762 (1,161,972) 1,223,045 24.35
Investments in IAI Retirement Funds, Inc. Portfolios:
Regional 154,361 56,584 (54,905) 156,040 17.66
Reserve 17,365 16,940 (22,606) 11,699 12.02
Balanced 25,910 28,533 (13,306) 41,137 16.47
Investments in Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund II Portfolios:
Asset Manager 268,189 695,124 (637,187) 326,126 16.55
Contrafund 500,155 1,142,827 (862,165) 780,817 17.82
Index 500
Investments in Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund Portfolios:
Money Market 434,383 12,499,893 (12,235,067) 699,209 12.46
Equity-Income 804,586 820,297 (567,640) 1,057,243 22.26
Growth 671,846 850,083 (586,970) 934,959 25.50
Overseas 409,217 3,059,915 (2,961,136) 507,996 14.37
Investments in Federated Insurance Management Series Portfolios:
High Income Bond Fund II 142,047 518,131 (417,050) 243,128 14.97
Utility Fund II 83,101 98,288 (43,133) 138,256 18.60
U.S. Government Securities Fund II 23,223 250,414 (179,427) 94,210 13.07
Investment in Scudder Variable Life Investment Fund Portfolio:
Bond 44,687 63,234 (51,614) 56,307 12.95
</TABLE>
73
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
5. UNITS ISSUED AND REDEEMED
(Units in whole amounts)
Consultant Contracts
Unit activity during 1998:
-------------------
Accumulat-
Units ion Unit
Units Outstanding Value
Outstanding Units Units December 31, December
December 31,1997 Issued Redeemed 1998 31, 1998
------------------------ -------- ---------- ------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Investments in Alger American Fund Portfolios:
Growth -- 2,423 (1,048) 1,375 $ 11.98
Income and Growth -- 1,401 (1) 1,400 11.55
Leveraged AllCap -- 39 (3) 36 12.87
MidCap Growth -- 260 (6) 254 11.65
Small Capitalization -- 2,173 (1,138) 1,035 11.36
Investments in Janus Aspen Series Portfolios:
Flexible Income -- 363 (4) 359 10.30
Balanced -- 44,685 (11,139) 33,546 11.74
Growth -- 4,013 (380) 3,633 11.91
Aggressive Growth -- 864 (9) 855 12.33
Worldwide Growth -- 22,312 (4,592) 17,720 10.73
Investments in Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund II Portfolios:
Asset Manager -- 317 (158) 159 10.85
Contrafund -- 54,358 (13,219) 41,139 11.51
Index 500 -- 4,832 (1,215) 3,617 11.42
Investments in Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund Portfolios:
Money Market -- 60,685 (16,150) 44,535 10.20
Equity-Income -- 2,630 (350) 2,280 10.88
Growth -- 3,259 (179) 3,080 11.68
Overseas -- -- -- -- 10.55
Investments in Federated Insurance Management Series Portfolios:
High Income Bond Fund II -- 2,233 (52) 2,181 9.89
Utility Fund II -- -- -- -- 11.19
U.S. Government Securities Fund II -- 15 -- 15 10.31
Investments in Scudder Variable Life Investment Fund Portfolios:
Bond -- 121 (3) 118 10.24
Balanced -- 299 (10) 289 11.09
Growth and Income -- 302 (3) 299 10.57
Global Discovery -- 265 (6) 259 10.82
International -- 408 (6) 402 10.43
Investments in Strong Variable Insurance Funds, Inc. Portfolios:
Discovery Fund II -- -- -- -- 11.09
Growth Fund II -- -- -- -- 11.47
Investment in Strong Opportunity Fund II, Inc. Portfolio:
Opportunity Fund II -- 173 (2) 171 10.99
Investment in T. Rowe Price International Series, Inc. Portfolio:
International Stock -- 10 -- 10 10.83
Investments in T. Rowe Price Equity Series, Inc. Portfolios:
New America Growth -- 240 (11) 229 11.30
Mid-Cap Growth -- 580 (14) 566 11.56
Equity Income -- 501 (12) 489 10.83
Investments in MFS Variable Insurance Trust Portfolios:
Growth with Income Series -- 266 -- 266 11.25
Research Series -- 340 (3) 337 11.13
Emerging Growth Series -- 272 (4) 268 11.80
Total Return Series -- 2,373 (326) 2,047 10.66
New Discovery Series -- 23 -- 23 11.41
</TABLE>
74
<PAGE>
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT
TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS OF
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY:
We have audited the accompanying consolidated statements of Financial Position
of Lincoln Benefit Life Company and subsidiary (the "Company", an affiliate of
The Allstate Corporation) as of December 31, 1998 and 1997, and the related
consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income, Shareholder's
Equity and Cash Flows for each of the three years in the period ended December
31, 1998. Our audits also included Schedule IV - Reinsurance. These consolidated
financial statements and financial statement schedule are the responsibility of
the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these
financial statements and financial statement schedule based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes
assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by
management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, such consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all
material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 1998
and 1997, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the
three years in the period ended December 31, 1998 in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles. Also, in our opinion, Schedule IV - Reinsurance,
when considered in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole,
presents fairly, in all material respects, the information set forth therein.
/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
Chicago, Illinois
February 19, 1999
F-1
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION
December 31,
------------
($ in thousands) 1998 1997
---- ----
Assets
Investments
Fixed income securities, at fair value
(amortized cost $149,898 and $141,553) $ 158,984 $ 147,911
Short-term 3,675 1,020
---------- ----------
Total investments 162,659 148,931
Cash 1,735 4,220
Reinsurance recoverable from Allstate Life
Insurance Company 6,933,084 6,732,755
Reinsurance recoverable from non-affiliates 191,092 127,182
Receivable from affiliates, net 37,103 14,481
Other assets 30,919 31,976
Separate Accounts 763,416 447,658
---------- ----------
Total assets $8,120,008 $7,507,203
========== ==========
Liabilities
Reserve for life-contingent contract benefits $ 338,069 $ 252,195
Contractholder funds 6,785,070 6,607,130
Current income taxes payable 3,659 1,128
Deferred income taxes 5,546 4,149
Other liabilities and accrued expenses 64,470 43,609
Separate Accounts 763,416 447,658
---------- ----------
Total liabilities 7,960,230 7,355,869
---------- ----------
Commitments and Contingent Liabilities (Note 8)
Shareholder's Equity
Common stock, $100 par value, 30,000 shares
authorized, 25,000 issued and outstanding 2,500 2,500
Additional capital paid-in 116,750 116,750
Retained income 34,622 27,952
Accumulated other comprehensive income:
Unrealized net capital gains 5,906 4,132
---------- ----------
Total accumulated other comprehensive income 5,906 4,132
---------- ----------
Total shareholder's equity 159,778 151,334
---------- ----------
Total liabilities and shareholder's equity $8,120,008 $7,507,203
========== ==========
See notes to consolidated financial statements.
F-2
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Year Ended December 31,
-----------------------
($ in thousands) 1998 1997 1996
---- ---- ----
Revenues
Net investment income $10,240 $10,570 $ 9,519
Realized capital gains and losses 134 17 6
------- ------- -------
10,374 10,587 9,525
Costs and expenses
Provision for policy benefits (net of reinsurance
recoveries of $496,140, $464,154 and $419,936) -- -- 465
Operating costs and expenses -- -- 457
------- ------- -------
-- -- 922
------- ------- -------
Income from operations before income tax expense 10,374 10,587 8,603
Income tax expense 3,704 3,735 3,020
------- ------- -------
Net income 6,670 6,852 5,583
------- ------- -------
Other comprehensive income, after tax
Change in unrealized net capital gains and losses 1,774 2,331 (3,197)
------- ------- -------
Comprehensive income $ 8,444 $ 9,183 $ 2,386
======= ======= =======
See notes to consolidated financial statements.
F-3
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDER'S EQUITY
December 31,
------------
($ in thousands) 1998 1997 1996
---- ---- ----
Common Stock $ 2,500 $ 2,500 $ 2,500
--------- --------- ---------
Additional capital paid-in 116,750 116,750 116,750
--------- --------- ---------
Retained income
Balance, beginning of year 27,952 21,110 18,060
Net income 6,670 6,852 5,583
Dividend-in-kind -- (10) (2,533)
--------- --------- ---------
Balance, end of year 34,622 27,952 21,110
--------- --------- ---------
Accumulated other comprehensive income
Balance, beginning of year 4,132 1,801 4,998
Change in unrealized net capital gains and loss 1,774 2,331 (3,197)
--------- --------- ---------
Balance, end of year 5,906 4,132 1,801
--------- --------- ---------
Total shareholder's equity $ 159,778 $ 151,334 $ 142,161
========= ========= =========
See notes to consolidated financial statements.
F-4
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
Year Ended December 31,
-----------------------
($ in thousands) 1998 1997 1996
---- ---- ----
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income $ 6,670 $ 6,852 $ 5,583
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net
cash provided by operating activities
Depreciation, amortization and other non-cash items 10 20 50
Realized capital gains and losses (134) (17) (6)
Changes in:
Life-contingent contract benefits and
contractholder funds (425) 427 (4,918)
Income taxes payable 2,973 (381) 143
Other operating assets and liabilities (1,047) (4,606) 10,473
-------- -------- --------
Net cash provided by operating activties 8,047 2,295 11,325
-------- -------- --------
Cash flows from investing activities
Fixed income securities
Investment collections 10,710 11,980 8,759
Investment purchases (18,587) (18,307) (17,570)
Change in short-term investments, net (2,655) 840 4,489
-------- -------- --------
Net cash used in investing activities (10,532) (5,487) (4,322)
-------- -------- --------
Net (decrease) increase in cash (2,485) (3,192) 7,003
Cash at beginning of year 4,220 7,412 409
-------- -------- --------
Cash at end of year $ 1,735 $ 4,220 $ 7,412
======== ======== ========
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information
Noncash financing activity:
Dividend-in-kind to Allstate Life Insurance $ - $ (10) $ (2,533)
======== ======== ========
See notes to consolidated financial statements.
F-5
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
($ in thousands)
1. General
Basis of presentation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of
Lincoln Benefit Life Company ("LBL") and its wholly owned subsidiary, Allstate
Financial Distributors, Inc., formerly Lincoln Benefit Financial Services, a
registered broker-dealer (collectively, the "Company"). LBL is a wholly owned
subsidiary of Allstate Life Insurance Company ("ALIC"), which is wholly owned by
Allstate Insurance Company ("AIC"), a wholly owned subsidiary of The Allstate
Corporation (the "Corporation"). These consolidated financial statements have
been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. All
significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.
To conform with the 1998 presentation, certain amounts in the prior years'
financial statements and notes have been reclassified.
Nature of operations
The Company markets a broad line of life insurance and savings products
primarily through independent insurance agents and brokers. Life insurance
includes traditional products such as whole life and term life insurance, as
well as variable life, universal life and other interest-sensitive life
products. Savings products include deferred annuities, such as variable
annuities and fixed rate single and flexible premium annuities, and immediate
annuities. In 1998, annuity premiums and deposits represented approximately 70%
of the Company's total statutory premiums and deposits.
Annuity contracts and life insurance policies issued by the Company are subject
to discretionary surrender or withdrawal by customers, subject to applicable
surrender charges. These policies and contracts are reinsured primarily with
ALIC (see Note 3), which invests premiums and deposits to provide cash flows
that will be used to fund future benefits and expenses.
The Company monitors economic and regulatory developments which have the
potential to impact its business. There continues to be proposed federal and
state regulation and legislation that, if passed, would allow banks greater
participation in the securities and insurance businesses. Such events would
present an increased level of competition for sales of the Company's products.
Furthermore, the market for deferred annuities and interest-sensitive life
insurance is enhanced by the tax incentives available under current law. Any
legislative changes which lessen these incentives are likely to negatively
impact the demand for these products.
Additionally, traditional demutualizations of mutual insurance companies and
enacted and pending state legislation to permit mutual insurance companies to
convert to a hybrid structure known as a mutual holding company could have a
number of significant effects on the Company by (1) increasing industry
competition through consolidation caused by mergers and acquisitions related to
the new corporate form of business; and (2) increasing competition in the
capital markets.
The Company is authorized to sell life and savings products in all states except
New York, as well as in the District of Columbia, Guam and the U.S. Virgin
Islands. The top geographic locations for statutory premiums and deposits for
the Company were California, Wisconsin, Florida, Pennsylvania and Illinois for
the year ended December 31, 1998. No other jurisdiction accounted for more than
5% of statutory premiums and deposits. All premiums and deposits are ceded under
reinsurance agreements.
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Investments
Fixed income securities include bonds and mortgage-backed securities. All fixed
income securities are carried at fair value and may be sold prior to their
contractual maturity ("available for sale"). The difference between amortized
cost and fair value, net of deferred income taxes, is reflected as a component
of shareholder's equity. Provisions are recognized for declines in the value of
fixed income securities that are other than temporary. Such writedowns are
included in realized capital gains and losses. Short-term investments are
carried at cost or amortized cost which approximates fair value.
F-6
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
($ in thousands)
Investment income consists primarily of interest and dividends on short-term
investments. Interest is recognized on an accrual basis and dividends are
recorded at the ex-dividend date. Interest income on mortgaged-backed securities
is determined on the effective yield method, based on the estimated principal
repayments. Accrual of income is suspended for fixed income securities that are
in default or when the receipt of interest payments is in doubt. Realized
capital gains and losses are determined on a specific identification basis.
Reinsurance
The Company has reinsurance agreements whereby premiums, contract charges,
credited interest, policy benefits and certain expenses are ceded, primarily to
ALIC. Such amounts are reflected net of such reinsurance in the consolidated
statements of operations and comprehensive income. The amounts shown in the
Company's consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income relate
to the investment of those assets of the Company that are not transferred under
reinsurance agreements. Reinsurance recoverable and the related reserve for
life-contingent contract benefits and contractholder funds are reported
separately in the consolidated statements of financial position. The Company
continues to have primary liability as the direct insurer for risks reinsured.
Recognition of premium revenues and contract charges
Premiums for traditional life insurance and certain life-contingent annuities
are recognized as revenue when due. Accident and disability premiums are earned
on a pro rata basis over the policy period. Revenues on universal life-type
contracts are comprised of contract charges and fees, and are recognized when
assessed against the policyholder account balance. Revenues on investment
contracts include contract charges and fees for contract administration and
surrenders. These revenues are recognized when levied against the contract
balances. Gross premium in excess of the net premium on limited payment
contracts are deferred and recognized over the contract period. All premium
revenues and contract charges are reinsured.
Income taxes
The income tax provision is calculated under the liability method and presented
net of reinsurance. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recorded based on
the difference between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and
liabilities at the enacted tax rates. Deferred income taxes arise primarily from
unrealized capital gains or losses on fixed income securities carried at fair
value and differences in the tax bases of investments.
Separate Accounts
The Company issues flexible premium deferred variable annuities and variable
life policies, the assets and liabilities of which are legally segregated and
reflected in the accompanying consolidated statements of financial position as
assets and liabilities of the Separate Accounts. The Company's Separate Accounts
consist of: Lincoln Benefit Life Variable Annuity Account and Lincoln Benefit
Life Variable Life Account. Each of the Separate Accounts are unit investment
trusts registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The assets of the Separate Accounts are carried at fair value. Investment income
and realized capital gains and losses of the Separate Accounts accrue directly
to the contractholders and, therefore, are not included in the Company's
consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income. Revenues to the
Company from the Separate Accounts consist of contract maintenance fees,
administration fees, mortality and expense risk charges and cost of insurance
charges, all of which are reinsured with ALIC.
Reserve for life-contingent contract benefits
The reserve for life-contingent contract benefits, which relates to traditional
life insurance, fixed annuities with life contingencies, disability insurance
and accident insurance, is computed on the basis of assumptions as to future
investment yields, mortality, morbidity, terminations and expenses. These
assumptions, which for traditional life insurance are applied using the net
level premium method, include provisions for adverse deviation and generally
vary by such characteristics as type of coverage, year of issue and policy
duration. Reserve interest rates ranged from 4.0% to 10.0% during 1998.
Contractholder funds
Contractholder funds arise from the issuance of individual or group policies and
contracts that include an investment component, including most fixed annuities
and universal life policies. Payments received are recorded as interest-bearing
F-7
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
($ in thousands)
liabilities. Contractholder funds are equal to deposits received and interest
credited to the benefit of the contractholder less withdrawals, mortality
charges and administrative expenses. During 1998, credited interest rates on
contractholder funds ranged from 4.40% to 9.25% for those contracts with fixed
interest rates and from 1.08% to 15.15% for those with flexible rates.
Use of estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that
affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes.
Actual results could differ from those estimates.
New accounting standards
In 1998, the Company adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
("SFAS") No. 130, "Reporting Comprehensive Income." Comprehensive income is a
measurement of certain changes in shareholder's equity that result from
transactions and other economic events other than transactions with the
shareholder. For the Company, these consist of changes in unrealized gains and
losses on the investment portfolio (See Note 9).
In 1998, the Company adopted SFAS No. 131, "Disclosures about Segments of an
Enterprise and Related Information." SFAS No. 131 redefines how segments are
determined and requires additional segment disclosures for both annual and
interim financial reporting. The Company has identified itself as a single
operating segment.
Pending accounting standards
In December 1997, the Accounting Standards Executive Committee of the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants ("AICPA") issued Statement of Position
("SOP") 97-3, "Accounting by Insurance and Other Enterprises for
Insurance-related Assessments." The SOP is required to be adopted in 1999. The
SOP provides guidance concerning when to recognize a liability for
insurance-related assessments and how those liabilities should be measured.
Specifically, insurance-related assessments should be recognized as liabilities
when all of the following criteria have been met: 1) an assessment has been
imposed or it is probable that an assessment will be imposed, 2) the event
obligating an entity to pay an assessment has occurred and 3) the amount of the
assessment can be reasonably estimated. The Company is currently evaluating the
effects of this SOP on its accounting for insurance-related assessments. Certain
information required for compliance is not currently available and therefore the
Company is studying alternatives for estimating the accrual. In addition,
industry groups are working to improve the information available. Adoption of
this standard is not expected to be material to the results of operations or
financial position of the Company.
3. Related Party Transactions
Reinsurance
The Company has reinsurance agreements whereby premiums, contract charges,
credited interest, policy benefits and certain expenses are ceded, and reflected
net of such cessions in the consolidated statements of operations and
comprehensive income. The amounts shown in the Company's consolidated statements
of operations and comprehensive income relate to the investment of those
assets of the Company that are not transferred under reinsurance agreements.
Reinsurance recoverable and the related reserve of life-contingent contract
benefits and contractholder funds are reported separately in the consolidated
statements of financial position. The Company continues to have primary
liability as the direct insurer for risks reinsured.
F-8
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
($ in thousands)
Investment income earned on the assets which support contractholder funds and
the reserve for life-contingent contract benefits are not included in the
Company's consolidated financial statements as those assets are owned and
managed under terms of the reinsurance agreements. The following amounts were
ceded to ALIC under reinsurance agreements.
Year ended December 31,
-----------------------
($ in thousands) 1998 1997 1996
-------- -------- --------
Premiums $ 30,811 $ 34,834 $ 48,111
Contract charges 106,158 87,061 73,659
Credited interest, policy benefits, and other
expenses 609,325 533,369 496,735
Effective December 31, 1996, the reinsurance treaty with ALIC was amended to
also include a paid up block of life business which was previously retained by
the Company. The reinsurance premium related to the transfer was $8,255 on a
statutory accounting basis and $5,712 based upon generally accepted accounting
principles, creating a dividend-in-kind of $2,543. The premium is equal to the
sum of the aggregate policy reserves and policyholder dividend accumulation on
this block of business as of December 31, 1996. The policy loans and accrued
interest relating to this block of business totaled $554 and were also ceded to
ALIC as of December 31, 1996, creating a non-cash financing transaction.
Business operations
The Company utilizes services provided by AIC and ALIC and business facilities
owned or leased, and operated by AIC in conducting its business activities. The
Company reimburses AIC and ALIC for the operating expenses incurred on behalf of
the Company. The cost to the Company is determined by various allocation methods
and is primarily related to the level of services provided. Operating expenses,
including compensation and retirement and other benefit programs, allocated to
the Company were $45,940, $34,947, and $25,094 in 1998, 1997 and 1996,
respectively. Of these costs, the Company retains investment related expenses.
All other costs are ceded to ALIC under reinsurance agreements.
4. Investments
Fair values
The amortized cost, gross unrealized gains and losses, and fair value for fixed
income securities are as follows:
Gross Unrealized
Amortized ---------------- Fair
cost Gains Losses value
----------- ------- -------- ----------
At December 31, 1998
U.S. government and agencies $ 14,105 $ 2,498 $ - $ 16,603
Corporate 84,547 3,548 (151) 87,944
Foreign government 3,031 239 - 3,270
Mortgage-backed securities 48,215 2,972 (20) 51,167
-------- -------- -------- --------
Total fixed income securities $149,898 $ 9,257 $ (171) $158,984
======== ======== ======== ========
At December 31, 1997
U.S. government and agencies $ 14,598 $ 1,760 $ - $ 16,358
Corporate 71,602 1,839 (297) 73,144
Foreign government 3,040 229 - 3,269
Mortgage-backed securities 52,313 2,845 (18) 55,140
-------- -------- -------- --------
Total fixed income securities $141,553 $ 6,673 $ (315) $147,911
======== ======== ======== ========
F-9
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
($ in thousands)
Scheduled maturities
The scheduled maturities for fixed income securities are as follows at December
31, 1998:
Amortized Fair
cost value
---------- --------
Due in one year or less $ 4,525 $ 4,554
Due after one year through five years 25,829 26,625
Due after five years through ten years 58,047 60,861
Due after ten years 13,282 15,777
-------- --------
101,683 107,817
Mortgage-backed securities 48,215 51,167
------- -------
Total $149,898 $158,984
======== ========
Actual maturities may differ from those scheduled as a result of prepayments by
the issuers.
Net investment income
Year ended December 31, 1998 1997 1996
---- ---- ----
Fixed income securities $10,375 $10,723 $ 9,825
Short-term investments 231 160 215
------- ------- -------
Investment income,before expense 10,606 10,883 10,040
Investment expense 366 313 521
------- ------- -------
Net investment income $10,240 $10,570 $ 9,519
======= ======= =======
Realized capital gains and losses
Year ended December 31, 1998 1997 1996
------ ------ ------
Fixed income securities $ 134 $ 17 $ 6
Income taxes 47 6 2
------ ------ ------
Realized capital gains and losses, after tax $ 87 $ 11 $ 4
====== ====== ======
Excluding calls and prepayments, there were no gains or losses realized on sales
of fixed income securities during 1998, 1997 and 1996.
Unrealized net capital gains
Unrealized net capital gains on fixed income securities included in
shareholder's equity at December 31, 1998 are as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Gross unrealized
Cost/ ---------------- Unrealized
amortized cost Fair value Gains Losses net gains
------------- ---------- ------ ------ ----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Fixed income securities $ 149,898 $ 158,984 $ 9,257 $ (171) $ 9,086
========= ========= ======== ========
Deferred income taxes (3,180)
----------
Unrealized net capital gains $ 5,906
==========
</TABLE>
F-10
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
($ in thousands)
Change in unrealized net capital gains and losses
Year ended December 31, 1998 1997 1996
---- ---- ----
Fixed income securities $ 2,729 $ 3,585 $(4,918)
Deferred income taxes (955) (1,254) 1,721
------- ------- --------
Increase (decrease) in unrealized net
capital gains $ 1,774 $ 2,331 $(3,197)
======= ======= ========
Securities on deposit
At December 31, 1998, fixed income securities with a carrying value of $8,945
were on deposit with regulatory authorities as required by law.
5. Financial Instruments
In the normal course of business, the Company invests in various financial
assets and incurs various financial liabilities. The fair value estimates of
financial instruments presented below are not necessarily indicative of the
amounts the Company might pay or receive in actual market transactions.
Potential taxes and other transaction costs have not been considered in
estimating fair value. The disclosures that follow do not reflect the fair value
of the Company as a whole since a number of the Company's significant assets
(including reinsurance recoverable) and liabilities (including traditional life
and universal life-type insurance reserves, and deferred income taxes) are not
considered financial instruments and are not carried at fair value. Other assets
and liabilities considered financial instruments, such as accrued investment
income and cash, are generally of a short-term nature. Their carrying values are
assumed to approximate fair value.
Financial assets
The carrying value and fair value of financial assets at December 31, are as
follows:
1998 1997
---- ----
Carrying Fair Carrying Fair
value value value value
------- ------ -------- -------
Fixed income securities $158,984 $158,984 $147,911 $147,911
Short-term investments 3,675 3,675 1,020 1,020
Separate Accounts 763,416 763,416 447,658 447,658
Fair values for fixed income securities are based on quoted market prices where
available. Non-quoted securities are valued based on discounted cash flows using
current interest rates for similar securities. Short-term investments are highly
liquid investments with maturities of less than one year whose carrying value
approximates fair value. Separate Accounts assets are carried in the
consolidated statements of financial position at fair value based on quoted
market prices.
Financial liabilities
The carrying value and fair value of financial liabilities at December 31, are
as follows:
1998 1997
---- ----
Carrying Fair Carrying Fair
value value value value
------- ------- --------- ------
Contractholder funds on
nvestment contracts $5,220,485 $5,006,124 $5,188,474 $4,941,732
Separate Accounts 763,416 763,416 447,658 447,658
The fair value of contractholder funds on investment contracts is based on the
terms of the underlying contracts. Reserves on investment contracts with no
stated maturities (single premium and flexible premium deferred annuities) are
valued at the account balance less surrender charges. The fair value of
immediate annuities and annuities without life contingencies with fixed terms is
estimated using discounted cash flow calculations based on interest rates
currently offered for contracts with similar terms and durations. Separate
Accounts liabilities are carried at the fair value of the underlying assets.
F-11
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
($ in thousands)
6. Income Taxes
The Company joins the Corporation and its other eligible domestic subsidiaries
(the "Allstate Group") in the filing of a consolidated federal income tax return
and is party to a federal income tax allocation agreement (the "Allstate Tax
Sharing Agreement"). Under the Allstate Tax Sharing Agreement, the Company pays
to or receives from the Corporation the amount, if any, by which the Allstate
Group's federal income tax liability is affected by virtue of inclusion of the
Company in the consolidated federal income tax return. Effectively, this results
in the Company's annual income tax provision being computed, with adjustments,
as if the Company filed a separate return.
Prior to Sears, Roebuck and Co.'s ("Sears") distribution ("Sears distribution")
on June 30, 1995 of its 80.3% ownership in the Corporation to Sears
shareholders, the Allstate Group, including the Company, joined with Sears and
its domestic business units (the "Sears Group") in the filing of a consolidated
federal income tax return (the "Sears Tax Group") and were parties to a federal
income tax allocation agreement (the "Tax Sharing Agreement"). Under the Tax
Sharing Agreement, the Company, through the Corporation, paid to or received
from the Sears Group the amount, if any, by which the Sears Tax Group's federal
income tax liability was affected by virtue of inclusion of the Company in the
consolidated federal income tax return.
As a result of the Sears distribution, the Allstate Group was no longer included
in the Sears Tax Group, and the Tax Sharing Agreement was terminated.
Accordingly, the Allstate Group and Sears Group entered into a new tax sharing
agreement, which adopts many of the principles of the Tax Sharing Agreement and
governs their respective rights and obligations with respect to federal income
taxes for all periods prior to the Sears distribution, including the treatment
of audits of tax returns for such periods.
The Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") has completed its review of the Allstate
Group's income tax returns through the 1993 tax year. Any adjustments that may
result from IRS examinations of tax returns are not expected to have a material
impact on the financial position, liquidity or result of operations of the
Company.
The components of the deferred income tax assets and liabilities at December 31,
are as follow:
1998 1997
---- ----
Deferred assets
Separate Accounts $ - $ 393
------ -------
Deferred liabilities
Unrealized net capital gains (3,180) (2,225)
Difference in tax bases of investments (2,244) (2,265)
Other liabilities (122) (52)
------- -------
Total deferred liabilities (5,546) (4,542)
------- -------
Net deferred liability $(5,546) $(4,149)
======= =======
The components of the income tax expense for the year ended at December 31, are
as follow:
1998 1997 1996
---- ---- ----
Current $ 3,262 $ 4,321 $ 3,082
Deferred 442 (586) (62)
------- ------- -------
Total income tax expense $ 3,704 $ 3,735 $ 3,020
======= ======= =======
The Company paid income taxes of $731, $4,116 and $2,864 in 1998, 1997 and 1996,
respectively. The Company had a current income tax liability of $3,659 and
$1,128 at December 31, 1998 and 1997, respectively.
F-12
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
($ in thousands)
A reconciliation of the statutory federal income tax rate to the effective
income tax rate on income from operations for the year ended December 31, is as
follows:
1998 1997 1996
---- ---- ----
Statutory federal income tax rate 35.0% 35.0% 35.0%
Other .7 .3 .1
----- ----- -----
Effective income tax rate 35.7% 35.3% 35.1%
===== ===== =====
Prior to January 1, 1984, the Company was entitled to exclude certain amounts
from taxable income and accumulate such amounts in a "policyholder surplus"
account. The balance in this account at December 31, 1998, approximately $340,
will result in federal income taxes payable of $119 if distributed by the
Company to ALIC. No provision for taxes has been made as the Company has no plan
to distribute amounts from this account. No further additions to the account
have been permitted since the Tax Reform Act of 1984.
7. Statutory Financial Information
Permitted statutory accounting practices
The Company prepares its statutory financial statements in accordance with
accounting principles and practices prescribed or permitted by the Nebraska
Department of Insurance. Prescribed statutory accounting practices include a
variety of publications of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners
("NAIC"), as well as state laws, regulations and general administrative rules.
Permitted statutory accounting practices encompass all accounting practices not
so prescribed. The Company does not follow any permitted statutory accounting
practices that have a significant impact on statutory surplus or statutory net
income.
The NAIC's codification initiative has produced a comprehensive guide of revised
statutory accounting principles. While the NAIC has approved a January 1, 2001
implementation date for the newly developed guidance, companies must adhere to
the implementation date adopted by their state of domicile. The Company's state
of domicile, Nebraska, is continuing its comparison of codification and current
statutory accounting requirements to determine the necessary revisions to
existing state laws and regulations. The requirements are not expected to have a
material impact on the statutory surplus of the Company.
Dividends
The ability of the Company to pay dividends is dependent on business conditions,
income, cash requirements of the Company and other relevant factors. The payment
of shareholder dividends by insurance companies without the prior approval of
the state insurance regulator is limited to formula amounts based on net income
and capital and surplus, determined in accordance with statutory accounting
practices, as well as the timing and amount of dividends paid in the preceding
twelve months. The maximum amount of dividends that the Company can distribute
during 1999 without prior approval of the Nebraska Department of Insurance is
$14,434.
F-13
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
($ in thousands)
8. Commitments and Contingent Liabilities
Leases
The Company leases certain office facilities. Total rent expense for all leases
was $1,358, $1,274 and $1,039 in 1998, 1997 and 1996, respectively. Minimum
rental commitments under noncancelable operating leases with initial or
remaining term of more than one year as of December 31, are as follows:
1998
----
1999 $1,395
2000 1,174
2001 12
2002 12
2003 12
Thereafter 276
-------
$2,881
======
In 1998, the Company accrued lease cancellation charges of $1,100 in
anticipation of terminating a particular lease, included in the table above, for
office space which is expected to be vacated by the end of 1999.
Regulation and legal proceedings
The Company's business is subject to the effects of a changing social, economic
and regulatory environment. Public and regulatory initiatives have varied and
have included employee benefit regulation, controls on medical care costs,
removal of barriers preventing banks from engaging in securities and insurance
business, tax law changes affecting the taxation of insurance companies, and
tax treatment of insurance products and its impact on the relative
desirability of various personal investment vehicles, and proposed
legislation to prohibit the use of gender in determining insurance rates and
benefits. The ultimate changes and eventual effects, if any, of these
initiatives are uncertain.
From time to time the Company is involved in pending and threatened litigation
in the normal course of its business in which claims for monetary damages are
asserted. In the opinion of management, the ultimate liability, if any, arising
from such pending or threatened litigation is not expected to have a material
effect on the results of operations, liquidity or financial position of the
Company.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
9. Other Comprehensive Income
The components of other comprehensive income on a pretax and after-tax basis for
the year ended December 31, are as follows:
1998 1997 1996
----------------------------- ----------------------------- ----------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
After- After- After-
Pretax Tax tax Pretax Tax tax Pretax Tax tax
------ ------ -------- ------- ---- ------ ------- ---- ------
Unrealized capital gains
and losses:
- -------------------------
Unrealized holding
gains (losses) arising
during the period $ 2,863 $(1,002) $ 1,861 $ 3,602 $ (1,260) $ 2,342 $ (4,912) $ 1,719 $ (3,193)
Less: reclassification
adjustment for
realized capital gains
included in net income 134 (47) 87 17 (6) 11 6 (2) 4
------- ------- ------- ------- -------- ------- ------- ------- -------
Unrealized net capital
gains (losses) 2,729 (955) 1,774 3,585 (1,254) 2,331 (4,918) 1,721 (3,197)
------- ------- ------ ------ ------- ------- -------- ------- --------
Other comprehensive
income $ 2,729 $ (955) $ 1,774 $ 3,585 $(1,254) $ 2,331 $(4,918) $ 1,721 $(3,197)
======= ======= ======= ======= ======= ======= ======== ======= ========
</TABLE>
F-14
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY
SCHEDULE IV- REINSURANCE
($ in thousands)
Gross Net
Year Ended December 31, 1998 amount Ceded amount
- ---------------------------- ------ ----- ------
Life insurance in force $97,690,299 $ 97,690,299 $ -
=========== =============== ==============
Premiums and contract charges:
Life and annuities $ 287,839 $ 287,839 $ -
Accident and health 3,450 3,450 -
----------- --------------- -------------
$ 291,289 $ 291,289 $ -
=========== =============== ==============
Gross Net
Year Ended December 31, 1997 amount Ceded amount
- ---------------------------- ------- ------ ------
Life insurance in force $72,754,000 $72,754,000 $ -
=========== =========== =============
Premiums and contract charges:
Life and annuities $ 277,825 $ 277,825 $ -
Accident and health 35,217 35,217 -
----------- ----------- -------------
$ 313,042 $ 313,042 $ -
=========== =========== =============
Gross Net
Year Ended December 31, 1996 amount Ceded amount
- ---------------------------- ------ ----- ------
Life insurance in force $51,514,000 $51,514,000 $ -
============ =========== =============
Premiums and contract charges:
Life and annuities $ 191,475 $ 191,475 $ -
Accident and health 9,566 9,566 -
------------- ----------- --------------
$ 201,041 $ 201,041 $ -
============ =========== ==============
F-15
<PAGE>
APPENDIX
ILLUSTRATIONS OF SURRENDER VALUES AND DEATH BENEFITS
The following tables illustrate how the Surrender Values and Death Benefits of a
Policy change with the investment experience of the Portfolios. The tables show
how the Surrender Values and Death Benefits of a Policy issued to an Insured of
a given age and underwriting risk classification who pays the specified annual
Premium would vary over time if the investments return on the assets held in the
underlying Portfolio(s) was a uniform, gross, after-tax annual rate of 0%, 6%,
or 12%. The tables on pages A-2 and A-3 illustrate a Policy issued to a male,
age 45, $200,000 Face Amount, under a preferred nonsmoker risk classification
and Death Benefit Option 1.
The illustrations assume annual payment of $2,750, which is the Safety Net
Premium (see Safety Net Premium, page 9). Payment of this Premium each year
would guarantee Death Benefit coverage for ten years, regardless of investment
performance, assuming no loans or withdrawals are taken.
The illustration on page A-2 assumes current charges and cost of insurance
rates, while the illustration on page A-3 assumes maximum guaranteed charges and
cost of insurance rates (based on the 1980 Commissioners Standard Ordinary
Mortality Table).
The amounts shown for the Death Benefit, Policy Value and Surrender Value
reflect the fact that the net investment return of the Subaccounts is lower than
the gross, after-tax return on the assets held in the Portfolios as a result of
expenses paid by the Portfolios and charges levied against the Subaccounts. The
values shown take into account the average daily investment advisory fees paid
by the Portfolios, which is equivalent to an average annual rate of .71% of the
average daily net assets of the Funds, and the average of other daily Portfolio
expenses, which is equivalent to an average annual rate of .12% of the average
daily net assets of the Funds. Also reflected is our monthly charge to the
Policy Value for assuming mortality and expense risks. The current charge for
the first fourteen Policy Years is an annual rate of 0.72% of the average net
assets of the Subaccounts, with a maximum charge of 0.48% of average daily net
assets thereafter. The illustrations also reflect the deduction from Premiums
for premium tax of 2.5% of Premium, the premium expense charge of 3.5% of
Premium for the first ten years and 1.5% thereafter, and the monthly Policy fee
of $7.50. After deduction of these amounts, the illustrated gross annual
investment rates of return of 0%, 6%, and 12%, "Assuming Current Costs"
correspond to approximate net annual rates of -.83, and 5.17, and 11.17%
respectively. The illustrated gross annual investment rates of return of 0%, 6%,
and 12%, "Assuming Guaranteed Costs" correspond to approximate net annual rates
of return of -.83%, 5.17%, and 11.17%, respectively.
The hypothetical values shown in the tables do not reflect any charges for
Federal income taxes against the Separate Account, since we are not currently
making this charge. However, this charge may be made in the future and, in that
event, the gross annual investment rate of return would have to exceed 0%, 6%,
and 12% by an amount sufficient to cover the tax charge in order to produce the
Death Benefits, Policy Values and Surrender Values illustrated (see "Tax
Matters," page 27).
The tables illustrate the Policy Values, Surrender Values and Death Benefits
that would result based upon the hypothetical investment rates of return if
Premiums are paid as indicated, if all net Premiums are allocated to the
Separate Account, and if no Policy loans are taken. The tables also assume that
you have not requested an increase or decrease in the face amount of the Policy
and that no partial surrenders or transfers have been made.
Upon request, we will provide a comparable illustration based upon the proposed
Insured's actual age, sex and underwriting classification, the Face Amount,
Death Benefit option, the proposed amount and frequency of Premiums paid and any
available riders requested.
A-1
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY
FLEXIBLE PREMIUM VARIABLE LIFE INSURANCE
HYPOTHETICAL ILLUSTRATIONS
MALE ISSUE AGE 45
Face Amount $200,000.00
Annual Premium $2,750.00
Preferred Non-Smoker Class
Death Benefit Option 1
Current Cost of Insurance Rates
DEATH BENEFIT
Assuming Hypothetical Gross and
Net Annual Investment Return of
Policy 0% Gross 6% Gross 12% Gross
Year -.83 Net 5.17 Net 11.17 Net
1 200,000 200,000 200,000
2 200,000 200,000 200,000
3 200,000 200,000 200,000
4 200,000 200,000 200,000
5 200,000 200,000 200,000
6 200,000 200,000 200,000
7 200,000 200,000 200,000
8 200,000 200,000 200,000
9 200,000 200,000 200,000
10 200,000 200,000 200,000
15 200,000 200,000 200,000
20 (age 65) 200,000 200,000 200,000
30 (age 75) 200,000 200,000 437,136
40 (age 85) * 208,259 1,219,722
55 (age 100) * 443,745 5,310,917
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
POLICY VALUE SURRENDER VALUE
Assuming Hypothetical Gross and Assuming Hypothetical Gross and
Net Annual Investment Return of Net Annual Investment Return of
Policy 0% Gross 6% Gross 12% Gross 0% Gross 6% Gross 12% Gross
Year -.83 Net 5.17 Net 11.17 Net -.83 Net 5.17 Net 11.17 Net
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
1 2,100 2,240 2,380 0 0 0
2 4,040 4,447 4,872 0 0 0
3 5,845 6,645 7,513 343 1,143 2,011
4 7,568 8,885 10,374 2,066 3,383 4,872
5 9,241 11,203 13,513 3,739 5,701 8,011
6 10,885 13,622 16,979 5,878 8,615 11,972
7 12,509 16,157 20,819 7,997 11,645 16,308
8 14,114 18,813 25,073 10,098 14,797 21,056
9 15,700 21,597 29,785 12,179 18,075 26,263
10 17,267 24,514 35,004 14,241 21,488 31,978
15 25,013 41,633 71,325 25,013 41,633 71,325
20 (age 65) 31,055 62,566 132,771 31,055 62,566 132,771
30 (age 75) 30,840 115,862 408,538 30,840 115,862 408,538
40 (age 85) * 198,342 1,161,640 * 198,342 1,161,640
55 (age 100) * 439,352 5,258,333 * 439,352 5,258,333
</TABLE>
Assumes the Premium shown is paid at the beginning of each Policy Year. Values
would be different if Premiums are paid with a different frequency or in
different amounts.
Assumes that no Policy loans or withdrawals have been made. An * indicates lapse
in the absence of additional Premium.
The hypothetical investment rates of return shown above and elsewhere in this
Prospectus are illustrative only and should not be deemed a representation of
past or future investment rates of return. Actual investment rates of return may
be more or less than those shown and will depend on a number of different
factors, including the investment allocations by the Policy owner and different
investment rates of return for the Portfolios. The Death Benefit, Policy Value,
and surrender value for a Policy would be different from those shown if the
actual investment rates of return averaged the rates shown above over a period
of years, but fluctuated above or below those averages for individual Policy
Years. No representation can be made by the Company or any Portfolio that this
assumed investment rate of return can be achieved for any one year or sustained
over a period of time.
A-2
<PAGE>
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY
FLEXIBLE PREMIUM VARIABLE LIFE INSURANCE
HYPOTHETICAL ILLUSTRATIONS
MALE ISSUE AGE 45
Face Amount $200,000.00
Annual Premium $2,750.00
Preferred Non-Smoker Class
Death Benefit Option 1
Guaranteed Cost of Insurance Rates
DEATH BENEFIT
Assuming Hypothetical Gross and
Net Annual Investment Return of
Policy 0% Gross 6% Gross 12% Gross
Year -.83 Net 5.17 Net 11.17 Net
1 200,000 200,000 200,000
2 200,000 200,000 200,000
3 200,000 200,000 200,000
4 200,000 200,000 200,000
5 200,000 200,000 200,000
6 200,000 200,000 200,000
7 200,000 200,000 200,000
8 200,000 200,000 200,000
9 200,000 200,000 200,000
10 200,000 200,000 200,000
15 200,000 200,000 200,000
20 (age 65) 200,000 200,000 200,000
30 (age 75) * 200,000 305,819
40 (age 85) * * 835,443
55 (age 100) * * 3,414,387
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
POLICY VALUE SURRENDER VALUE
Assuming Hypothetical Gross and Assuming Hypothetical Gross and
Net Annual Investment Return of Net Annual Investment Return of
Policy 0% Gross 6% Gross 12% Gross 0% Gross 6% Gross 12% Gross
Year -.83 Net 5.17 Net 11.17 Net -.83 Net 5.17 Net 11.17 Net
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
1 1,781 1,911 2 041 0 0 0
2 3,486 3,856 4,243 0 0 0
3 5,114 5,836 6,622 0 334 1,120
4 6,660 7,847 9,192 1,158 2,345 3,690
5 8,120 9,886 11,969 2,618 4,384 6,467
6 9,488 11,947 14,969 4,481 6,940 9,962
7 10,753 14,020 18,207 6,242 9,508 13,695
8 11,906 16,095 21,698 7,890 12,079 17,682
9 12,934 18,160 25,461 9,413 14,639 21,940
10 13,826 20,204 29,518 10,800 17,178 26,492
15 16,159 30,088 55,812 16,159 30,088 55,812
20 (age 65) 12,770 37,427 96,984 12,770 37,427 96,984
30 (age 75) * 18,919 285,812 * 18,919 285,812
40 (age 85) * * 795,660 * * 795,660
55 (age 100) * * 3,380,581 * * 3,380,581
</TABLE>
Assumes the Premium shown is paid at the beginning of each Policy Year. Values
would be different if Premiums are paid with a different frequency or in
different amounts.
Assumes that no Policy loans or withdrawals have been made. An * indicates lapse
in the absence of additional Premium.
The hypothetical investment rates of return shown above and elsewhere in this
Prospectus are illustrative only and should not be deemed a representation of
past or future investment rates of return. Actual investment rates of return may
be more or less than those shown and will depend on a number of different
factors, including the investment allocations by the Policy owner and different
investment rates of return for the Portfolios. The Death Benefit, Policy Value,
and surrender value for a Policy would be different from those shown if the
actual investment rates of return averaged the rates shown above over a period
of years, but fluctuated above or below those averages for individual Policy
Years. No representation can be made by the Company or any Portfolio that this
assumed investment rate of return can be achieved for any one year or sustained
over a period of time.
A-3
